Raven Knight
by Song of the Black Wolf
Summary: 500 years after Tears of a Demon, Levi is back. He is a being known as a Super. He is no villain, but he isn't a hero either. He walks his own path to fight crime. He becomes a monster to fight monsters. When a vicious organization called Titan threatens humanity, will he become the hero he needs to be to stop them? Maybe he will find love too.
1. Chapter 1

He was terrified. His mother held him tightly in her arms as she withdrew to a hidden room accessed through the back of her bedroom closet. She told him not to cry and that he had to be absolutely silent. The poor five-year-old had no idea why, but he could tell his mother was very afraid. He did as he was told, tears falling silently down his face.

There was someone moving around in the bedroom outside. Their voices were muffled, but he could tell they were men and he could still hear what they were saying. "Just like my sources said, he keeps the disk in a safe behind a picture of his family in his bedroom," one of the men said. "Could he be any more cliché?"

The other man chuckled. "I know, right? But as long as we get paid . . . wait. You hear that, Boss?"

"Shit! Sounds like someone else wants that disk! Quick! Close the safe! He's got a safe room behind the closet we can use to hide until these bozos leave," the first man cursed.

"Sounds like they're after the people, not the disk."

"Pfft! Dipshits! They got bad sources. Even I knew the family wasn't gonna be home tonight."

The boy started shaking in his mother's arms as the two men entered the hidden room. In the dim light, they looked at the mother and child in shock. "Looks like my sources are bad too," the first man chuckled. He was tall, lanky with dark hair and eyes. "I was told no one would be home. No need to be afraid, ma'am. We ain't here to hurt anyone. Can't say the same for the people downstairs, though. Your husband ain't here?"

"No," the boy's mother whispered. "Those people are after my son and me. I cannot let them have Levi. Please, Kenny. I need you to take my son and get as far away from here as you can. I will stay here and keep them distracted until you are gone. I need you to promise me you will care for and protect him."

"Wait. How'd you know my name?" the thief asked.

"That's not important. Please, I'm begging you. Climb up the ladder at the back of this room to the attic. Use the attic vent to get outside. Please," she begged. "Promise me."

Kenny looked at her kind of funny, but as he could hear the other intruders stomping up the stairs, he knew had no time to think about it. "Alright, ma'am. I promise I'll take care of and protect Levi. I'll treat him as my own flesh and blood."

The mother sighed with relief and hugged her son tightly. "Listen to me, Levi. This man is Kenny. He's going to take care of you from now on. Promise me you'll be good for him."

Lower lip trembling and tears spilling down his face he mumbled, "I promise."

"That's my good boy. I love you so much! Always remember that." With those words and tears running unchecked down her lovely face, she handed her son over to the thief. "Thank you, Kenny."

"He'll be well cared for, ma'am. I promise," Kenny told her as he took the boy in his arms and hurried up the indicated ladder after his subordinate.

Kenny was just climbing out the attic vent to the roof when he heard a crash as several people broke into the hidden room. An enraged scream followed. "YOU WILL NEVER HAVE ME OR MY SON! TONIGHT, YOU WILL ALL DIE!"

Kenny and his man fled the area as fast as they could. The following morning, he saw on the news that the home had burned to the ground, burning 10 people beyond recognition in its intensity. Witnesses claimed to have heard screams and a fight before the house burst into a flaming inferno.


	2. Chapter 2

BLACKWING

Levi stood balanced atop the spire of the city's highest building. The city of Mitras was the largest in the country, and as such, had the highest crime rate. From his current vantage point, he could see the entire city. He was also at an ideal spot to hear almost everything within a several mile radius. Tonight, however, was one of the rare quiet ones.

He stretched his midnight black wings with a bored yawn and took flight. Levi was what people referred to as a Super; more specifically, a Super Hero. The ironic thing was that he was raised by a criminal with no Super abilities at all; though, Kenny's organization was not in any way the conventional crime syndicate. Kenny was still a great source for information on all the other criminals, Super Villains and organizations throughout the city and even beyond.

What made Levi a Super, was not only his obvious jet-black wings. His hearing was far more acute than most, able to hear both higher and lower pitched sounds than normal people. He could even hear a dog whistle. His eyesight was clearer and sharper than most. He could see as well as an eagle in the day, and as well as a cat at night. His aversion to all things filth related, made him grateful that his sense of smell was not enhanced. Combined with abnormal, though not quite super strength, speed and agility, he was well above average, even for a Super.

He was only sixteen years old, but had already made his mark on the city. He was known by the moniker Blackwing. Not especially original, as monikers go, but it fit. His large, powerful wings were black as a raven's and matched perfectly to his equally jet-black hair. They stood out in stark contrast to his fair skin and unusual light silver eyes. Kenny had provided him with his mask to cover the area around his eyes as well as a top-secret Kevlar/polymer uniform. Both were black, but the uniform had dark red accents, including a dark red circle above his left breast with a flying black bird depicted in the center. The costume hugged his body, but did not restrict his movements. It showed the powerful muscles that seemed to belong to a man far older than a mere teenager.

Though he'd never been to school, his education was currently on a university level. Kenny had seen to it that the boy had the best tutors; history, grammar, science, math, 5 foreign languages and more. He'd also been taught to fight, being tutored in Kung Fu, Karate and Kick Boxing. He learned all about the criminal world from Kenny; extortion, fraud, theft, laundering. Kenny had also given him information on much darker crimes that he himself would never consider committing; slave trade, sex trade, drug trafficking, assassination.

Levi's education had not been just academics and fighting. He'd also been given piano lessons and encouraged in the arts, such as painting and photography. The boy considered himself lucky to have been raised in such an encouraging and loving environment and to have had such a well-rounded education.

As he passed over the river by the sporting arenas, he heard the sounds of a dispute. A moment later he could see that another Super was already handling it; a woman by the moniker of Bolt. Her power was electricity. Lightning bolts filled the alleyway below, rendering all the crooks unconscious and twitching on the ground. The teen chuckled to himself and flew on. _Serves the dumb asses right, trying to break the law in Bolt's territory._

Most Super Heroes had territories that they patrolled, though they would often help each other and cover each other's territories when needed. There were enough Supers in the city that they needed only cover about 5-10 square miles each and frequently overlapping by a few blocks. Blackwing had no territory. His senses and speed enabled him to cover the entire city. Supers could only be in one place at a time, so Blackwing took up the slack for all territories.

Since it was such a quiet night, the teenager decided to indulge in some recreational flying. With a couple of powerful strokes of his broad wings, he accelerated and began to climb. He powered up to well over 30,000 feet (and yes, he could actually breath at that frigid and mind numbing altitude) before holding his wings and arms open, closing his eyes and tipping back to go into a head-first freefall. He reveled in the sensation of air and clouds whipping past him as he rocketed towards the ground at nearly 200 miles per hour. When he was about 2,000 feet above the streets, he changed his position to feet down and snapped his folded wings open. The effect was dramatic. He went from a free fall into a sudden yank upwards a good 50 feet as the wings opened.

He grinned proudly and dove again, this time to fly at high speed through the city, weaving around the buildings, bridges and skyscrapers. One of the skyscrapers had a large circle through the middle of it near the top. He folded in his wings and went into a fast spin as he passed through it and then spread his wings to bank sharply right to avoid hitting the building across the road on the other side. He let out an unrestrained whoop of delight as he continued. Being able to fly was awesome! He passed through the posts and girders of a new skyscraper under construction, taking a zig zag course, doubling back on himself a couple of times just because he knew he could.

While there were several Supers that had spontaneous flight – that being the ability to fly telekinetically without any obvious power source -, Levi was the only one that had natural powered flight. Some supers used jets, many used grappling hooks and a couple used artificial wings, but his were a natural part of his physiology that he'd been born with. He had been equipped, presumably at birth, with a small device embedded in his left collarbone that enabled him to hide his wings with nothing more than a thought. The device, called a phase inverter, took his wings out of phase with the rest of the world just enough so that they could be neither seen nor touched, but were still very much a part of him. Kenny had been shocked to discover that the blanket on the small boy he'd accepted custody of eleven years ago was in fact a functioning pair of wings.

Light began to show on the eastern horizon, so Levi decided it was time to return to one of Kenny's many apartments scattered throughout Mitras. He chose the one penthouse that Kenny owned just outside the city center along the river. He coasted in to land with nary a flap of his wings on the wall of the massive rooftop deck outside the suite. Kenny was leaning against the wall a few feet away, watching the growing light of dawn.

"How was it last night, boy?" Kenny asked.

"Quiet. Too bad there aren't more like it," Levi replied as he crouched on top of the wall and watched the dawn beside his guardian. "Any trouble that stirred up last night was handled by others."

"Heh. Well, want some breakfast before you go to bed?"

"Nah. I'm going out with Farlan and Izzy. We're going to that pancake joint at the edge of town. You know how much Izzy loves the waffles there." Isabel Magnolia and Farlan Church were Levi's only two friends his own age, but they were like siblings to him. Isabel even went so far as to call him "Big Brother". They'd hung around together since they were all six or seven years of age. They knew almost everything about each other, except for one thing; Izzy and Farlan had no idea he was a Super or that he was a hero.

Kenny barked out a laugh. "Admit it, boy. **_YOU_** like the waffles there!"

Levi chuckled. "Guilty as charged. But let's be honest; who doesn't like the waffles there? Drowned in butter and REAL maple syrup . . . what's not to love?"

"Can't argue with you there. Why don't you take the Camero? Better 'n taking the bus or the train. Maybe go for a hike after? You don't get to hang out with them very often anymore."

"Yeah. Them in high school; me working nights. It's not easy to get together except on Saturdays and Sundays. Keys are by the door?"

"Yep. So's the gas card. Don't forget to fill 'er up. And be safe."

Levi hopped down off the wall and headed inside to shower and prepare for the day. "I will. Thanks, Uncle Kenny!"

Kenny chuckled as he heard the door close behind him. "You'd be right proud of your boy, ma'am," he spoke to the rising sun. "He's grown into a fine young man."

* * *

A couple of evenings later, as Levi was preparing to head out for the night, Kenny called him into the living room to talk. At first, Levi assumed it was work related. After all, Kenny was his top source of reliable information regarding criminal activity in the city. But something in the man's eyes said this was something more. "Have a seat, son."

Levi did as he was told and sat in the middle of one sofa, while Kenny sat on the one on the other side of the massive coffee table. He began to really worry when Kenny just sat there for several moments, leaning forward on his knees and staring at the floor. "Levi, how much do remember of your mother and father?" he finally asked.

_Well, that was unexpected. What clear blue did that come out of?_ Levi took in a deep breath and answered. "We were happy. I can remember picnics in the park, trips to the lake, tickle fights with Dad, and Mom singing to me. Why?"

"Do you remember that night when I took custody of you?"

"Sort of. Mostly by what you've told me about it, though. The only thing I clearly remember is Mom telling she loved me and to never forget it. I never have."

"That's right. And I promised your ma I'd take care of and protect you. Thing is, your pa wasn't home as far as we know, and he'd never been found." There was an awkward pause before Kenny sighed and continued. "I remember that picture of your family when we broke into the safe. You look just like your ma. I wish I coulda saved that picture for you. She was a lovely woman. Your pa was a right handsome fellow too."

Levi couldn't help but wonder not only where this was all coming from, but also where it was going. "I can barely remember their faces anymore."

"I know, son. The fallibility of the human mind. Happens to us all." Kenny was quiet for a moment before continuing. "Thing is, your pa's been seen."

Levi's silver eyes widened. "What? Where?"

"With Harbinger."

The teen's face paled as he felt a cold pit form in his belly. Harbinger was the by far the most dangerous Super Villain in the country, if not the world. Above average super strength combined with super intelligence made for a devastating combination. The two times he'd been brought in, he'd escaped the prisons within a couple of weeks. The man was nothing short of a monster that took pleasure in the pain and suffering of others. Even Kenny's syndicate steered clear of the villain, careful to never interfere even though they kept tabs on his activities. "He's still alive; my Dad?"

"He was as of last week when I was told."

"Last week? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Levi, Harbinger is beyond dangerous. Far stronger than most of those with super strength. More experienced Supers than you have been killed trying to take him in. Human life means nothing to that piece of shit."

Levi was quiet for a few moments as he mulled over this shocking information. "I have to save him, Kenny. I can't leave him in Harbinger's grasp. I know you're trying to protect me, but . . . I won't confront Harbinger. I'll just sneak my father out from under his nose."

"Son . . ."

"I **_have_** to, Uncle. Please, you know where he is."

Kenny sighed in defeat. "Not specifically. Harbinger is never based in one spot. He moves around a lot to keep from getting caught. The report comes from a surveillance cam early last week in the parking garage of Opecorp. Harbinger was discussing something with Opecorp's CEO. Your pa was in the back seat of Harbinger's car. He's gotten older, grey around the temples, but he was definitely your pa. He had that little scar through his right eyebrow that I saw in the picture in your house."

Levi frowned. "Opecorp is a weapons and defense company. Easy to figure out what Harbinger wants, but why is the CEO working with him?"

"Possibly a special order. As for why, well, fear is a really good motivator, but so is greed. Whatever the reason, my people have been ordered to steer clear of Opecorp for a while. Just as soon stay off Harbinger's radar."

"I have to find him, Kenny. I **_will_** find him and I'll get him away from Harbinger. I've just found out he's still alive, and I won't lose him again."

Kenny looked worried. "Be careful, son. If you need help, ask me. I don't want to lose **_you_**."

"Right. But I have to find him first." Levi stepped out onto the apartment's tiny balcony. "Thank you for telling me." He put on his mask, then spread his wings and took off across the city with only one thing on his mind. _Don't worry, Dad. I'll save you._ave you.


	3. Chapter 3

BETRAYAL

He stumbled onto Harbinger's current headquarters by pure, dumb luck. He happened to pass over one of the smaller warehouses in the southern warehouse district at the very moment the Super Villain along with handful of his lackeys arrived. Even from nearly a thousand feet up and in the dark, he easily recognized the flamboyantly dressed villain instantly. As much as he wanted to bust in and demand his father's release, he knew that wasn't the wisest course of action.

Hard as it was, he patiently staked out the warehouse for fully three days, never getting too close, always hidden and wary and watching for patterns of movement. His hearing was good enough to pick up some of the conversations from Harbinger's men when they went outside to smoke. From what he could piece together, the weapons they were waiting on from Opecorp were specialized firearms that fired a special round that held a serum that they would be acquiring from a pharmaceutical company based in the coastal city of Stohess, south and east of Mitras.

The teenager's frustration mounted when no one ever said what the serum was supposed to do. Needless to say, with Harbinger involved, it wouldn't be good. He did, however, learn that most of the men would be out of the warehouse one afternoon. The grating on the windows made entry through even an open one impossible, so as soon as he saw most of the gang leave the area, he slipped in through one of the vents on top of the three-story building. _At least there's one advantage to being only 5 foot two,_ Levi thought ruefully.

He slipped carefully onto the third floor, easily avoiding detection by the remaining men. There were still more people in the warehouse than he cared to deal with, but at least the worst of them were away. It took him nearly a half hour to work is way down to the ground floor where his father was located. Boxes were stacked high everywhere, and while they provide good cover, they also limited his visibility. He finally found his father pacing in an open area amid loaded shelves and stacks of boxes near the main entrance, mumbling over several papers in his hands.

As Kenny had said, the man had aged. He had a few wrinkles at the corners of his dark blue eyes and his brown hair was silver at the temples. He still had his moustache, but it had sprinkles of silver in it as well. Even after eleven years, Levi recognized the man instantly. As he stepped out of the shadows, the man, whose back was turned to him spoke. "You're back early." The man turned and his eyes widened in shock.

"I'm not Harbinger, Jerome," Levi retorted. "I'm getting you out of here."

The man's mouth fell open. "What? And how do you know my real name? Who are you?"

Levi looked around to be certain they were alone. He couldn't hear anyone else around, so he removed his mask. "I'm your son."

Now the man's eye widened even more. "Levi? But you're dead!"

The teen rolled his eyes before he could stop himself. "Obviously not. Listen, we don't have a lot of time. I'm getting you out of here. Just keep quiet and follow my lead."

"So, you're the one who's been watching the warehouse for the past few days," the man commented. "We knew it was Super, but I never in a million years would have guessed it was you."

Levi's heart was in his throat. _Wait. They KNEW I was watching them? But how? I was so careful!_ "Then we have even less time than I thought. Come on, Dad, let's go."

"I think there's something you should know," his father said, not bothering to keep his voice down.

_Oh my god! What is wrong with him? Is he trying to get us caught? _"Shhh! You can tell me when we're far away from here."

"But I'm not leaving."

Levi spun to look his father in the eye. What he saw disturbed him. The man's eyes were calm and cold, but his mouth formed a sneering grin. "What? Why? I find it hard to believe you **_like_** being Harbinger's prisoner."

"Prisoner? Is that what you think I am?" The man burst out laughing as the teen's eyes widened with horror.

"Shhhh! For fuck's sake, keep it down!"

"You still don't get it, do you, Levi? I'll spell this out for you. I work for Harbinger. Have been for a little over four years now. My corporate espionage skills are invaluable to him. Never mind the lucrative pay."

"Dad. You can't be serious!"

The maniacal laugh that suddenly filled the room had his heart nearly stopping in fear. "I'm afraid he's quite serious, little boy." Harbinger himself stepped into view, while several of his men stepped out from various points around the room. Harbinger came up behind Levi's father and wrapped his arms around the smaller man's shoulders, resting his chin on the man's left shoulder. "I don't know what I'd do without him!"

Harbinger was notorious for his garishly flamboyant attire. His hair and eyebrows and lashes were pure white and his eyes were dark ruby red. His thin lipped, wide mouth was almost always turned up in an insincere smile. He currently wore a large pair of white pearl earrings and his coat was vibrant purple with gold scroll work and a thick, white fur collar. His pants were unadorned purple with white, high-heeled boots that went halfway up to his knees.

Levi took a couple of steps back and assessed the situation. _Shit! Shitshitshitshitshit! This is bad. I'm unmasked and surrounded. I can handle these men easily, but I'm not so sure about Harbinger. Worse still, the fucker knows this is my Dad, and he won't hesitate to use that against me! Fuck! Now what do I do?_ "What did you do to him? You brainwashed him, didn't you?"

Everyone in the room, including his father, burst out laughing. Levi felt his heart sinking. _Please tell me this is just nightmare! I need to wake up!_

"How little you know of your own father!" the Super Villain laughed. "He's the top industrial spy in the world. I met him four years ago in prison. He was going by the alias Jack Frost back then if I recall. I immediately saw his potential, and dreamed up a bazillion ways to put those beautiful talents of his to good use. When I broke out, I just had to take him with me! Now he goes by the name Dagger." He then kissed the man, whom he was still holding, on the cheek. "It was a match made in villainy heaven! Come! Come! This is a joyous reunion between father and son! Let's give Jerome's little boy a proper welcome, shall we, boys?"

Levi instantly took up a fighting stance. His posture and expression exuded confidence even though he was quaking inside. His eyes darkened as they dilated and sneer pulled back his lip. "Bring it."

Nearly twenty men charged in all at once. Bad idea. Levi was very well trained and accustomed to taking on multiple targets at once. In a flurry of feet, fists and wings, all twenty were repelled. He relied mostly on his legs in a fight. Being small lent itself well to the art of kickboxing, which used the strongest muscles in the body. He could also use his wings as weapons. Unlike a bird's wing, the bones were quite tough and hard to break. In fact, everything about Levi's body was tough, compact but surprisingly lightweight. He only weighed about 150 pounds, wings and all, but he was still many times stronger than regular humans.

Many of the men were already charging right back in. A raised gun had the teen dropping into a crouch and bringing his wings around and over him like a large rounded shield under which he hid. Three bullets bounced harmlessly off the barrier. Another perk of being a Super. Bulletproof was a rare trait, and strictly speaking, Levi was not bulletproof, but his wings were. Nothing like a bird's feathers, his feathers were tougher than Kevlar and the barbs and barbules locked together so strongly that even high-power bullets could not penetrate.

Snapping his wings open as he jumped back up sent three men flying back into a couple of stacks of boxes, toppling them into a mess. As five more approached, Levi hopped up in the air a few inches and snapped his wings forward with tremendous force, giving a quick twist at the end of the stroke. The resulting thunderous shockwave knocked the five men unconscious as well as knocking over several more boxes.

"Better look behind youuuu~" sang Harbinger's smooth but obnoxious voice.

Levi turned and in an instant his entire world was yanked out from under him. On their knees and tied up in white cord, were eight high school students. Most of them looked terrified, but two of them just looked shocked. Isabel and Farlan could scarcely believe their eyes. There stood their best friend, with a pair of wings on his back and wearing what was obviously the costume of a Super Hero. Izzy broke out in a big smile and made the biggest mistake of her life.

"You creeps are in big trouble now!" she shouted defiantly. "Big Brother's gonna rip all of you apart!"

Levi had no doubt that what little color he possessed drained from his face as his whole being went cold with horror. Harbinger just started laughing hysterically. "Oh my god! This is **_TOO_** good! I couldn't have planned this better if I'd tried! So, you know Jerome's little boy over there, do you? HA!"

Izzy's smile vanished as she realized her mistake and Farlan's face collapsed into pure terror.

"Wow! Small world! I just grabbed some random students off the street. I knew we had a Super watching the warehouse, and decided to lure them into this lovely little trap by dragging these obnoxious teens in, but this just keeps getting better. First, the Super turns out to be Jerome's little boy whom was thought dead but wants to '**_save_**' his daddy, and then, the one of the kids I grab to use as bait against that Super turns out to be his close friend!" More maniacal laughing followed. "This is just too brilliant! What do you think we should do about this, Jerome?"

Levi looked desperately at his father, hoping for some hint to help him figure a way out of this. "Back when I found out what he and his mother were from Titan, I was shocked. They wanted to use their genes for some kind of experiment or something like that. Kinda surprised the boy made it out alive. Guess his mother had something to do with that. No matter to me. Frankly, the kid was supposed to be out of my life long ago, so I couldn't care less what you do to him."

The teen couldn't believe what he was hearing. "It's not possible," he breathed. "Why? How could you? I . . . I know you loved us. We were so happy together."

Jerome walked up right in front of his boy. "I wouldn't expect a five-year-old to see things as they really were. You and Kuchel were nothing more than a cover. Think about it; who would ever expect a happy, loving, **_middle-class_** family man to be the most successful industrial spy on the planet? Not exactly what you were expecting to hear when you broke in here to '**_save_**' me, was it?" The man laughed as he walked away again. "Do what you want with him, Harbin. Your imagination is so much better than mine. I'll just sit back and enjoy the show."

Levi couldn't move. It was as if he were paralyzed. It was too much to take in.

"Well then," Harbinger began. "We're gonna play a little game. Listen carefully, little boy, cuz I'm only gonna explain the rules once. You are going to let me do anything I want to you and do everything I tell you to without question or resistance. If you resist or disobey, even once, one of these eight will pay the price. Are we clear?"

The teen started trembling, but remained scowling and answered as bravely as he could, "Yes. Do what you want with me, but leave them alone."

"Excellent," the villain responded. "Now, on your knees."

Glaring furiously at the lunatic, Levi complied with the order. The villain walked up and stepped behind the teenager. He then grabbed the boy's left arm, one hand on the forearm and the other with a crushing grip between the neck and shoulder. Levi let out a pained gasp as Harbinger began to twist his arm. The pain intensified with every passing second until after what seemed an eternity, with a dull, sickening pop, the shoulder joint dislocated. The faint yelp that escaped Levi's lips barely hinted at the excruciating pain he was experiencing as he immediately began breathing heavily and his vision narrowed with distress.

"Well done!" Harbinger mocked. Levi let out a pained grunt has the villain gave a firm yank on the arm to set the joint back in place. "What a good little boy!"

Levi growled softly, but otherwise did nothing as the villain continued to hold his arm. He didn't look up at the man; just tried to focus on his breathing.

_"Hey, Barker, get me a pair of pliers . . . and the nail kit . . . and bottle of water!" Harbinger ordered._

_"Right, Boss!"_

_"Tell me something, little boy, what made you actually think that you could 'save' your daddy? Presuming he actually needed saving, for the sake of argument, what made you think you had what it took to fight me?"_

_"Given that I broke in here while you were away, it should be obvious that I had no intention of facing you," Levi growled._

_"Hmmmm. Good point. Good thing I came back when I did, or you might have made off with my precious spy!"_

_"Here you go, Boss."_

_"Ah! Thank you!" Harbinger reached behind his victim to take the items he had demanded. "See? I'm not __**all**__ bad! I have good manners," he boasted before he chugged down the entire bottle of water in one go. "AHHHHHH! That hit the spot! Now. Back to work! I think I'll do your nails first."_

_Levi's stomach turned itself in knots as the madman again grabbed his arm and took a hold of his left thumb. "Ever have your fingernails removed? No? Well, first time for everything!" Levi felt something inserted just under his thumbnail, then inhaled sharply then shuddered and winced when said object penetrated deep under the nail. Seconds later, the nail was pulled back and removed completely. Levi's breath came in short, tearing gasps and sweat beaded on his forehead. He whimpered involuntarily as the whole excruciating process was repeated on the left index finger. _

_"Hmmm. This is going a little __**too**__ smoothly. Guess I've had a little too much practice doing this! Ahahahahahaha! Hey, Jerome. You've never done this before. C'mere and give it a whirl!"_

_Levi's stomach twisted at his father's response. "Sure."_

_Now it was his own father that was driving the wedge awkwardly under the nail of his middle finger while Harbinger held his arm and shoulder in his brutal grip. Jerome plunged the wedge a little too deep into the flesh and basically made a mangled mess out of the finger before finally getting the nail, along with a good amount of flesh, off the finger, actually exposing some of the bone beneath. _

_"You got the gist of it, Jerome. Now do the same to the rest of his fingers while I hold him!"_

_Tears began to run down Levi's pain contorted face, because let's face it, it hurt like hell - on both the physical __**and**__ emotional level. His father's prowess at fingernail removal did not improve with practice. By the time the man was finally done, the boy's fingertips were all a bloody, mangled mess, and his short, ragged breaths were punctuated by yelps and whimpers. _

_Harbinger admired the results. "Oh, that's just beautiful! A perfectly botched fingernail removal job! I'm so proud of you, Jerome!"_

His father stepped into view, casually wiping the blood from his hands on a cloth.

"HOW CAN YOU DO THIS, YOU SICK FUCK?" It was Isabel yelling. "YOU'RE HIS FATHER! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT HIM! HOW CAN YOU EVEN CALL YOURSELF A FATHER?!"

A loud smack echoed through the room. "HEY! LEAVE HER ALONE!" Farlan barked, out of habit. Jerome responded by slapping him too. Both kids glared at him with hatred in their eyes.

Harbinger, seemingly oblivious to the outcry behind him, stood looking at his victim like a painter looks at a blank canvas, wondering what to paint. _"Now, what next? Ah, yes_! You kind of spoiled my lovely little trap that I worked so hard to set up. I slaved for hours trying to come up with the perfect, fun trap. I drag in the brats, you come charging in to save them and I spring my trap. Granted, it's not much of a surprise anymore, but I'd still love to show everyone how it works. Let me see now . . . stand up and take ten steps back."

Levi slowly stood, injured hands cradled carefully against his chest, and took exactly ten steps backwards. "Beautiful!" Harbinger praised. "Now, when I say 'go', you charge at me with everything you've got."

Levi raised a skeptical eyebrow, but nodded in compliance. _I'll make him regret that order. He wants me to come at him with everything, then that's what he's gonna get. Time to play one of my trump cards._

"NOW!"

With one powerful stroke of his wings for extra push, he charged the villain with shocking speed. He extended the retractable claws from within his mangled fingertips and prepared to strike. By the time he noticed what looked like wiring falling haphazardly around him, it was too late. Just as he was about to rip his claws through Harbinger's grinning face, the tangled mess of wire pulled tight around him and stopped him just short of his target with a painful jerk, eliciting a sharp cry of pain and surprise.

Some of the wire was tight around his arms, which in turn were then pinned tight to his sides by even more wire. It also entangled and tightly pinned his legs together. He hit the cement floor hard as he was stopped short, knocking the wind audibly from his lungs. The searing pain that followed was like hundreds of nails being thrust into his flesh. As his wits slowly came back to him, the first thing he noticed was the hysterical laughter of his enemy. The second was that the wire that now held him tight was barbed.

"HA! It worked perfectly! That was beautiful!" Harbinger cried as he clapped his hands. "Alright boys, let's pull it tight!"

_Pull it tight?! It's already too tight!_ He uttered a sharp cry of pain, in spite of himself, as Harbinger's men pulled the wire mess in opposite directions resulting in the barbs digging even deeper into his punctured skin. They then used what looked like staples to secure the wires together and held tight before cutting away all of the excess.

Unable to move and scarcely able to breathe, Levi waited for the next phase of this torture. _How do I get out of this? I can't fight back without Izzy, Farlan and the others being killed. Thing is, even though I'm cooperating, we're all going to die in the end if I can't get us all out of here! But how?_

Though impervious to bullets, his Kevlar/polymer suit was susceptible to puncture and cuts by blades and other sharp instruments. He winced in pain as Harbinger pressed a foot between his shoulder blades and pulled his wrists behind his back, the barbs tearing viciously through his flesh as the madman did so. His wrists were then bound together much too tight using much too much wire. A hook that had been tossed over the rafters was forced under where two of the wires crossed between his shoulder blades and then he was pulled up by the line attached to the hook, which in turn pulled the wire even tighter. The line was tied off and he was left hanging with his feet a couple of inches above the floor, in terrible pain and unable to take in a full breath.

Harbinger picked up a heavy crowbar as if it weighed nothing and strode purposefully over to the restrained teenager. "Now to see just how much abuse you can really take." With those words, he swung the crowbar to collide with the left side of Levi's head, just above the ear. In that moment, Levi knew where the term 'seeing stars' came from. His vision filled with little points of light and his ears were left ringing loudly. A second blow, following on the heels of the first landed against the crown of his skull, followed immediately by a third to the left ear. His head was swimming and he could barely hear Izzy's cry of, "Big Brother!" over the near deafening ringing in his ears.

He felt the bar knock lightly on the top of his head a few times. "Guess you really are built as tough as they say you are. Never really expected the unbreakable Blackwing to be so small or young, though. Even so, you bring a whole new meaning to the term 'hard headed'," Harbinger mused with a chuckle. "That first blow alone would have caved in a normal human's skull. Hell, even most Super's couldn't handle that blow, so color me impressed! Means I don't hafta hold back. I can have some **_real_** fun for once! Let's see just what it takes to break the unbreakable."

The boy's eyes widened in horror. "Oh, god," he gasped, barely audible.

"I wouldn't count on His help, little boy. He's never done nothin' to stop me before." He twirled the bar like a sword and the proceeded to land blow to Levi's partially restrained right wing with all of his strength. There was a resounding crack as the radius and ulna bones snapped under the force of the strike. "WOOHOOHOOOOO! Broke something already!"

_Levi managed to refrain from crying out as pain radiated across his wing, but was unable to restrain an obvious grunt followed by a pained wince. The next blow came down on the wrist of his left wing, eliciting a short, gasping yelp as the bones buckled and snapped. A long series of blows landed around his body as Harbinger circled him, striking everywhere from his head to his ribs to his back to his legs as he went. The occasional snap of a rib or a wing bone was met with cackling delight. Each hit drove and painfully shifted the barbs sticking into his flesh, leaving him bleeding everywhere. It finally ended with a head on punch to his face. Though his nose didn't break, it immediately began to bleed. It was only then that he finally noticed the burning pain and the feeling of blood flowing from scratches on his throat from where the wire wrapped around it, though no where near as tightly as around the rest of his body. _

_His head was swimming, and he felt as though he were suffocating due to the wire holding him so tight that he couldn't get anywhere near enough air into his lungs. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't even get out a proper scream of pain. _

_"You know, I couldn't help but notice that when you attacked me earlier, that you had some claws. You might accidently hurt someone with those. Perhaps it would be wise to fully disarm you, yes?"_

A squeak of pain escaped Levi's throat as Harbinger gripped his already mangled right thumb and squeezed the bloodied tip to force the claw to extend out. The squeak turned into a pained whine as the villain used the pliers he had to grip the claw and pull. A short, sharp cry signaled the victim's agony, but the claw wouldn't budge. The villain resorted to twisting, and he kept twisting until the claw finally broke loose and came out entirely.

Tears ran unchecked down his face as each claw was twisted out, one at a time. His thumb, ring and pinky finger on the left hand broke under the pressure of twisting, and the middle, ring and pinky fingers broke on the right. Between the intense pain, the inability to breathe properly, the betrayal of his father and the humiliation of being tortured in front of his best friends, Levi was in was in absolute, indescribable agony. Just to make things worse, Harbinger brought a tray containing the bloodied nails and claws to show the boy. "Sorry about the mess," he told Levi in a mocking tone. "But this was your father's first time, after all, and I've never removed claws before either."

Levi wretched at the sight, vomiting up everything he'd eaten earlier that day. It just added to his physical distress. Vomiting was bad enough. Vomiting with broken bones, punctured skin and unable to breathe was a thousand times worse.

"What next? This has been so much fun, I don't want it to end just yet. Let me seeeeee…I KNOW! How about I cut off your wings!"

Levi felt a stab of renewed panic at those words. Reflexively, he mentally activated the device in his collarbone, which made his wings instantly vanish, which had the secondary effect of loosening the wire's grip just a tiny bit. "Oooh! Now, now! Remember what I said about defiance? Let me refresh your memory." The madman began walking towards the hostages, going straight for Isabel. Levi's eyes widened in horror.

He activated the device again, and his wings came back into view, now free of the wire, but hanging limp and broken. "NO! WAIT! YOU CAN . . . CUT OFF MY WINGS! . . . JUST PLEASE . . . DON'T HURT HER!"

"Too late, little boy~" Harbinger sang. "You should have thought of that before you hid your wings from me!" With that, he drew a long dagger from his belt and slashed across Isabel's stomach with so much force that the blade went in almost up to its hilt and her insides spilled out onto the floor through the long gash.

"NOOO!" Levi screamed with what little breath he had. _Oh my god! This is all my fault! If only I had been more careful! I should have listened to Kenny. I should have never come here to save Dad. How was I supposed to know Dad worked FOR this madman? Now I've lost one of my best friends! _

"ISABEL!" Farlan screamed at the same time, tears spilling from his eyes.

Harbinger looked at the dirty blond with malice in his eyes. "Oh. So, you're a friend of hers too, eh?" He said as Isabel fell over sideways, green eyes wide with shock and breathing hard as her life slowly bled out with her intestines on the filthy warehouse floor. "That must mean you're also a friend of our little Super Hero over there." He turned to look back at Levi. "I'll tell you what, little boy. Since you don't want me cutting off your wings, I'll cut off your friend's arms instead!"

"NO! PLEASE!" Levi's shouts came out as nothing but a breathless gasp as Harbinger cut the bonds restraining Farlan, grabbed his right arm, and with the same long bladed dagger he'd gutted Isabel with, struck the arm off in one swift blow. Farlan's scream didn't faze the madman as he repeated the action with the left arm. The limbs were tossed carelessly onto the floor amid the horrified screams and tears of the other students. Even over the commotion, Levi heard the most horrible gurgle from Isabel. The light left her eyes and her body went completely still.

Levi let out a gut-wrenching sob, then took in every last molecule of air he could. "IZZY! NOOOOO!" A spray of tears burst from his eyes, along with 5 strange, perfectly round, black crystal beads that bounced noisily across the floor.

"What have we here?" Harbinger asked as he picked up the five black beads, ignoring the now sobbing, choking Super. "They're almost like obsidian. Did you know he could do this, Jerome?"

"Nope. Not much of a super power, though, is it?"

Harbinger laughed his normal maniacal laugh. "No. But they sure are interesting! Kinda pretty, actually. I think I'll make a pair of earrings out of two of them. A little memento of the most fun day of my life!"

"They'd go perfect with all of your outfits."

"Indeed. Now. To keep the fun going. I've already cut off limbs, so now I don't feel like cutting off the wings anymore. Already know they're bulletproof, but I wonder how well they stack up to a blade?"

Harbinger soon learned that the feathers could repel sharp instruments as well as bullets. However, the limbs could be cut and stabbed if he lifted and went under the feathers, and said feathers were pulled out easily with the villain's insane strength, a pair of pliers and a merciless twist. He lost interest quickly though. Levi was no longer responsive. Something inside the boy broke when Isabel died. Farlan had since died a well, due to rapid blood loss. Levi now just hung there, scarcely breathing, whimpering in pain once in a while, but otherwise numb to the world around him.

"Well, it **_is_** getting late, and we do have a plane to catch. I suppose now is the time to end this." Though he saw Harbinger walk over to the remaining six students and slowly slit each of their throats, he felt nothing. His soul was so torn and raw from the past few hours, that he had gone completely numb to everything. _This is all my fault,_ he thought, trying to feel something, anything. _Eight lives ended. Lives I was supposed to protect. How many parents, siblings, grandparents, family and friends will be mourning the lives that are never coming home? How many people are about to go through the worst day of their lives when they find out about these deaths? All because I thought I could save my father from a madman. _

"What? No tears for these six? Guess they weren't friends of yours." Harbinger cut the cord holding Levi up, and the boy fell to the cold, unforgiving cement floor. Barbs dug and tore harshly at his flesh as he landed on his back, head falling to the side, not wanting to look at his tormentor. Blood pooled on the floor behind him and his wings were splayed out in a broken and bloody mess of feathers around him. "Such a mess," the villain tutted. He used a white handkerchief to wipe the blood away from Levi's face, though fresh blood trickled again from his ear, and some blood still stained around his nostrils and in his sweat soaked hair. "There. That's better! Now you're all set for a picture!"

Without turning his head, his silver eyes shifted to look up at Harbinger as the villain snapped a photo of him with a phone. His eyes were dead. No emotion showed in them. He was ready to die and it showed. He had nothing left to live for. "Perfect!" the lunatic exclaimed. "Now I can look at this lovely photo and always remember this day! This is the most fun I've ever had and I never wanna forget it! Alright, boys, time to pack up and blow this joint . . . literally! Bahahahahahahaha!"

Levi had no idea how much time had passed, with people moving boxes and equipment out of the building. "Jerome! Make sure you set the explosives before you leave! Oh! And if your little boy is still breathing, kill him. I don't trust the explosion to do the job. A bullet through the eye should do the trick."

"Right."

Harbinger left the warehouse, but several of the men and Levi's father were still grabbing stuff. Finally, Jerome stood over his dying son. "Alright, men, the timer's running. We've got three minutes!" He looked down at Levi, with no remorse showing on his face. Without a word, he aimed a gun at the boy's left eye as Levi looked emotionlessly up at him. The gunshot echoed through the warehouse.


	4. Chapter 4

BROKEN

Levi never felt the bullet penetrate his skull. _That's odd. I really expected it to hurt more._ The fact that he could still see out of both eyes was currently lost on him. He watched dispassionately as his father dropped the gun and sank to the floor with a stunned look on his face and blood dribbling from a hole that was dead center in his forehead, though the scene didn't register in his mind. He heard the shouts and multiple gunshots of a fierce, though brief firefight that followed, but somehow, his mind never made the connection to what was really going on. It was as if everything going on was a tv show playing in the background while taking a nap.

His expression remained dead as he suddenly saw Kenny's tearful face leaning over him. He finally realized that the first gunshot had been Kenny's and not Jerome's.

Kenny gathered the broken boy in his arms and held him, ignoring the sting of the barbed wire. "Eld! Grab a couple of pairs of wire snips! Gunther! Call Doc Beringer and tell him I'm bringing in a wounded Super."

"Explosives."

Kenny looked down at Levi in surprise. "What was that?"

"Explosives. About to go off." His weak, broken voice was barely more than a whisper.

Kenny's eyes widened. "EVERYONE! EVACUATE THE BUILDING IMMEDIATELY! IT'S SET TO EXPLODE!" He jumped to his feet, Levi still in his arms and raced to the nearest exit. He, along with all his men didn't stop running until they were inside the next warehouse over. Moments later, the first warehouse exploded and then what was left collapsed into a fiery heap.

"Holy, shit!" Eld cried. He was an average height man with 'three hairs on his chin' as Levi jokingly called the beard, and his blond hair was pulled back into a pony tail. He ran out to one of the cars to grab the wire cutters Kenny had asked for, while Gunther tried to get a signal on his phone.

"Damn it!" Gunther cursed. Though his round face showed anger and frustration, his dark eyes showed the fear and concern he had for Levi. He'd known the boy since the day Kenny brought the frightened and grieving 5-year-old home. "The explosion scrambled the electronics! I can't get a signal!"

"It's okay. We'll get a hold of Beringer once we're outta here," Kenny replied. He then looked down and the dying boy in his arms. "You still with me, boy?" Grey eyes looked back up at him, devoid of all emotion.

Eld ran back in with the cutters and he and Kenny immediately set to cutting and carefully removing the vicious wires from Levi's bloodied and broken body. He almost immediately began breathing better, finally able to take in a full breath. He winced, though, as broken ribs protested. "I'm so sorry, son. I should've gotten here sooner. I'm sorry." He held the broken teen in his arms and wept as he carried him out to one of the cars.

Levi had long since passed out by the time they arrived at St. Sina Hospital. The hospital's east wing had an extra top floor that was high security and inaccessible to the general public. It was almost an entire hospital unto itself and dedicated to the treatment of Supers. Dr. Emilio Beringer was the head surgeon, often referred to as the Coffin Breaker. He had powers of his own that he used to heal others. Through energy manipulation, he could enhance his medical skills and never lost a patient. He treated all people, not just Supers, but he was the one that Supers went to. He was the only one Supers trusted with their identities and their lives.

While he was capable of healing a body completely, he'd learned at a very early age, trying to heal his pet dog, that though a body can be forced to heal, it was still a huge drain of energy and put tremendous stress on the body, resulting in death by exhaustion rather than injury. So, Beringer became a doctor, using his power to enhance his work, repairing the body enough to stabilize, but allowing it to heal on its own so as to not over stress it.

Even he was amazed that Levi was still alive. Even with his powers, it took Beringer more than ten hours to put the boy back together again. When he finally came out to talk to Kenny, he looked exhausted. He hadn't even stopped to change his scrubs, Levi's blood still staining the teal blue cloth.

Kenny was on his feet in an instant. "How is he? How's my boy?"

"He'll live," Beringer replied. "He's quite remarkable. There's a lot of internal damage, but his body is already making repairs. I could actually see it happening. He's currently in some kind of coma. Not a normal coma either. He's not on life support or anything. I've got him on oxygen, D5W IV and an Albumin IV Dilution to support his body's accelerated healing, but that's it. I've also refrained from using stitches, seeing as they will do more harm than good for him due to how fast he's healing. That coma he's in seems to be his body's way of shutting down and focusing entirely on healing itself. It's remarkable, really. However, it's still going to take a couple of weeks for him to fully heal, especially the bones. Harbinger is immensely strong to be able to break those bones, let me tell you. It will take time for the missing feathers to grow back in too. As for his mind healing . . ."

Kenny looked down at the floor. "You don't know the half of it. I got there just in time to see his own father about to put a bullet in his head. I saw his two best friends on the floor; one gutted and the other with both arms cut off." A tear ran down the man's face. "What kind of a fucked-up world is this, anyway?" His voice held none of the anger that his words held – only weariness and grief. "That boy loses his ma, then he sees his best friends die, then his own goddamn shit stain of a father tries to kill him. He doesn't deserve this shit. He's a good kid. Why is this world so fucking unfair?"

The doctor quietly listened to Kenny vent. "If only I'd gone with my first instinct and never told him we'd seen his pa. If I could have found out where Harbinger was sooner. If I'd moved faster when I got word about Harbinger kidnapping those 8 kids . . . god, their bodies are still back in the rubble of that warehouse. Everything is crushed and burnt to a crisp. The families ain't gonna even have bodies to bury. And on top of everything else, I'm the one who killed his pa."

"Don't second guess yourself, Ackerman. You did what had to be done," Beringer countered. "And while we're going on about 'if only' and 'what if' – what if you hadn't gotten there in time to save Blackwing? What if you and your men had been caught in that explosion? I'm not suggesting that the circumstances are in any way ideal – they're far from it – I'm just saying that the circumstances, bad as they are, could have been far worse."

"Yeah. I guess. But I still feel horrible. I swore to his ma that I'd protect him. I've failed both her and him," Kenny responded. "When can I see him?"

"You can go in now. He's probably going to be out for a quite a while though."

* * *

Pain.

That's all there was.

Everywhere.

Then the blessed, comfortable darkness again.

The pain returned, slightly less, but again, the darkness drove the pain away.

The third time the pain returned, it brought quiet beeping noises and . . . was that someone snoring?

Levi slowly opened his eyes, but even the dim light was painful, so he briefly closed them again. He opened them again, but everything was terribly blurry. He blinked a few times to clear his vision. _Where am I and how did I get here?_ he finally wondered. He slowly became more aware of his surroundings. A clear, plastic mask was fit over his nose and mouth, fogging slightly with each breath he exhaled. There were tubes sticking in his right arm that lead up to a couple of large bags above him. What he could see of himself was covered in white bandages. The pain. _What happened to me? _

He heard a soft snore to his left. He turned his head slightly to see Kenny in a chair beside him, the man's head resting on his arms on the edge of the bed, and sound asleep. It was then that the memory of what happened came flooding back. A harsh, choked sob ripped from his parched throat, waking Kenny instantly.

The man was on his feet in a flash. "Levi! Easy now, it's alright. You're safe. This is St. Sina Hospital."

Tears began to run down the boy's face as the memory returned to him in its full horror. A shattered croak followed by a harsh cough signaled the teen's attempt to say something. "Hang tight, son. I'll get some water."

Kenny vanished, but returned seconds later with a cup of water with a straw in it. He gently removed the mask from Levi's face and helped him up a little so he easily drink. Levi pulled back after a couple of sips. "It's all my fault," he sobbed.

"No, son. It's not your fault," Kenny rebutted, gently pulling the broken teen into his arms. "It was never your fault. Even I never guessed your pa was actually working **_with_** that monster."

"Izzy. Farlan. They're . . ."

"I know, son. I know. I'm so sorry. I wish I could undo all of it." Kenny began to shed his own tears. "I'm so sorry. I'm the one who shot your pa. I had to choose. Even if I'd had more time, I'd have chosen your life over his. So when I saw him about to shoot your eye out, I just . . . I . . . I shot him first. I'm sorry. In know he was your pa and all, but . . ."

"You did the right thing," Levi whispered through his tears. "He deserved it. He wasn't my dad. He wasn't the man I remember." With that, he began sobbing uncontrollably as Kenny held him and gently stroked his hair, letting him get his grief out of his system.


	5. Chapter 5

LET THE PUNISHMENT FIT THE CRIME

5 years later…

Levi stood atop the city's highest skyscraper. Just 5 years ago, he had used this tower under construction to practice high-speed flight maneuvers. Now complete, the building took over as Mitras' tallest and stood dead center of the city.

Kenny had been saddened when, after the boy's run-in with Harbinger, he'd refused to accept another hero's costume. He was giving up the Super Hero racquet. "Blackwing died with Izzy and Farlan," he'd told his uncle.

He had disappeared for just over two years, during which he had focused on building his strength, skills and control of his power. He had a number of 'trump cards' as he called them. One of which was the limited used of magic, some telekinesis as well as telepathic communication. When he returned, his entire outlook on fighting crime had changed. The law was not good enough. It protected the criminals and left the innocent at their mercy.

Blackwing had always brought his targets in alive. He had a bright personality that enabled him to get along well with the other Supers in the city. But, Blackwing was dead. The man who took his place was dark and brooding. He kept all other Supers at arm's length with his abrasive and downright rude personality. He worked alone. Period.

Even Kenny's people had noticed the change. The bright, friendly and cheerful boy they'd all watched grow up was now a dark, no nonsense, deadly serious adult with absolutely no desire for any kind of friendship. If he trusted you, that was the best you could hope for. People he'd known all his life now had little more than his trust. From his perspective, they were all safer if they weren't his friends.

Most criminals and Super Villains alike were absolutely terrified of him. He didn't pull any punches. Repeat offenders especially were dealt with harshly. Those with no regard for human life found their own lives ended swiftly by the dark anti-hero. Not that Levi ever killed indiscriminately; far from it. He gauged a villain's right to live based on what he saw in their souls. Mass murderers were often killed outright. Drug dealers with no regard for the lives they destroyed and ended were themselves killed, but those with remorse and hope for rehabilitation were dumped at police headquarters trussed up like hogs. Rapists . . . well, let's just say that Levi's mantra was, "Let the punishment fit the crime".

Tonight for instance; Levi's attention was locked onto a park about 1 mile from his position. It was a decent part of town, not run down or seedy by any definition. Over the last two weeks, however, there had been nearly a dozen rapes involving young women and teenage girls. The attacker was very quiet and the victims were immediately gagged to prevent screaming. Tonight, Levi resorted to using telepathy to watch the 12-block area for signs of fear and distress.

At the edge of his senses, he could feel someone watching him. There was no malice or ill intent, but there was curiosity, caution and determination. Goddamned caterpillar eyebrowed jackass, Levi thought to himself. Why doesn't that fucking Captain America-wanna-be go catch a villain or something? Why is he wasting all his time watching me, for fuck's sake? In spite of his mounting irritation, he finally detected the distress he was watching for.

His silver eyes, behind a simple, black mask, locked on to a girl being chased into the tunnel under the freeway that led into a small park. Gotcha! With a single powerful stroke of his wings, he dove off the skyscraper and a rocketed towards the tunnel. The wind whipped through his black, undercut hair as he drew his dagger from its sheath inside his well worn, knee-high black boot. He folded his wings back, and never slowing down, disappeared into the tunnel.

The rapist never saw the black blur that slammed into him and sent him flying out of the tunnel. The poor girl only saw a black blur that whipped past her and knew that her attacker had vanished. The would-be rapist lay screaming in agony on the grass near the tunnel exit, blood staining the front of his torn pants and running down his legs. His genitals, shaft, balls and all lay in pieces several yards away. His would-be victim ran back the way she'd come, grateful to have escaped this nightmare with nothing more than a torn shirt.

Levi cleaned off his blade as he flew away, still going at top speed and dropped the soiled cloth to the ground. "Let's see you rape someone now," he sneered to himself. He had 'shut off' his telepathy the instant he'd spotted the rapist. He didn't need it anymore. Telepathy was a last resort measure. He didn't like using it. Too invasive in his opinion. Even without his telepathy, he could sense he was being followed. Ugh! This bozo really needs to give it a rest.

He flipped onto his back to look behind him. I knew it! That blond jackass again! He turned over to fly normally again. I wonder if that's really spontaneous flight, or if he's using those obscenely big eyebrows of his like wings? Well, time to show him what powered flight can do! He dove down into one of the city's many drainage rivers and turned sharply into one of the many rainwater drainage pipes. He knew the city's underground better than the back of his hand. He couldn't keep his wings fully open in the pipe, but open enough that he could remain aloft until he came to one of the massive junction areas. He dove down again and entered one of the subway tunnels, where he had only two inches clearance to open his wings completely.

He was still being followed, but his pursuer had lost some ground. He noticed one of the late trains coming at him down the tunnel. Levi turned onto his side and hugged the tunnel wall, not even an inch between his back and the cement. He straightened out again after the train passed and turned up a smaller service tunnel. He'd been forced to land and run in the service tunnel, but just as he'd known he would, he came out into a larger subway tunnel and took flight again. There were few people about at this hour, but those that were in the subway station yelped in surprise when a black whirlwind blasted out of the tunnel and up the wide stairwell back to the surface.

After several more sharp twists and turns through the streets of Mitras, he landed near the top of one of the massive oak trees in Somerset Park, the large city park on the east side of river near the middle of the city. Hmph! Powered flight trumps spontaneous flight every time! He settled down in the branches to rest for a while. Normal people would never see him up there in the dark.

Most Super heroes wore skin tight costumes, some with capes (how fucking cliché), some without. They stood out in their costumes, most wearing masks to cover their eyes. The only thing Levi wore as a costume was a simple mask that covered his eyes, brows and part of his nose. He wore his black, well worn boots that went up to his knees but had tough, combat worthy soles. He wore a pair of black denim pants that were actually women's pants. He found that they had more stretch and flexibility to them than men's, and so were better suited for going out and fighting crime. His shirt was a loose fitting, long-sleeve turtleneck, also in black that tucked neatly into his jeans. He carried a dagger in each boot cuff and two on his black leather belt, along with a Remington R51 handgun with two extra magazines.

He'd been resting for just about an hour when he heard someone approaching. Greeeeat. Eyebrows' lap dog. Could he be any more obvious with that sniffing of his? A deaf person could hear him! Of course, that means the blond jackass is nearby too. Why is he so interested in me? Looks like I'll have to tell him to 'fuck off' to his face.

Sure enough, the Super in question was looking around the base of Levi's tree. "Hound, are you sure he's around here?"

Levi landed with a solid thud behind the blond giant. "He's sure," Levi said dryly. "Now what the fuck do you want? Surely you have better things to do than follow me around all night."

The man never so much as flinched. If Levi had surprised him, it never showed. He turned to face Levi with a calm, neutral expression on his face. "Ah. Good. Nice to finally meet you face to face. I'm The Commander."

"Really?" Levi deadpanned. "That's the best you could come up with? The Commander?"

Those giant eyebrows went up. "I was hoping you would tell me your name."

"I think not. I don't believe in wasting time with a useless moniker. Most people just call me 'Hey Asshole' or 'Shorty' or 'Short Stack' just to name a few. Take your pick. I don't care." Suddenly his eyes narrowed and he dropped low, swung his left leg around behind him and took an even taller blond's legs out from under him. "I'm not a goddamned daisy, Sniffy!"

The scruffy, lanky blond lay on his back, masked eyes wide with surprise. "Bloodhound," he corrected.

"Whatever," Levi retorted. "Now I'm only gonna ask this one more time. What the fuck to you want?"

The Commander actually chuckled. "I guess it's true what they say about you. You have no manners at all."

"Fuck you." Levi stretched his wings and then turned and walked away.

"Don't you think you went a little too far?" The Commander called after him.

Levi decided to play dumb. "What are you talking about?"

"The serial rapist. Don't you think cutting off his entire penis was a little excessive?"

"No." Levi again started to walk away.

"The law would have taken care of him. You should have . . ."

"What? So his lawyer can get him off again on a technicality and let him out on the streets to rape again? I don't think so," Levi snapped as he spun to face the two blonds. "That's what happened the last time he was brought in. The law doesn't work. The rights of the criminals outweigh the rights of the victims."

"But . . ."

"But nothing, Eyebrows! That useless fuck got what he deserved. Let the punishment fit the crime. He'll never rape anyone again. His victims can sleep at night knowing that he is powerless to harm them. Be thankful I didn't kill him. Frankly, death was too good for a piece of shit like that." With that, Levi was done with the conversation and flew away, leaving The Commander and Bloodhound baffled.

Over the next several weeks, The Commander tried engaging in conversation with the irritable anti-hero. Levi all but ignored him. He quickly learned that The Commander's Super powers included not only spontaneous flight, but also super strength; strength that exceeded his own. Bloodhound, as his name suggested, had a hyper sensitive sense of smell that was actually better than a dog's. He could also see in both infrared and ultraviolet. Levi also learned that the two always worked together and with another pair of Supers called Rapier and Razor. The latter two had super speed combined with superior hand/eye coordination.

Rapier and Razor were opposites in appearance. Rapier had long blond hair kept in a bun at the back of his head and a scarce beard on his chin. He was tall and slender. Razor, on the other hand, was a little shorter and stockier. He had short dark hair that was gelled up to a point at the back of the top of his head; it rather reminded Levi of a chestnut. Levi also knew their real names. Eld Ginn and Gunther Schultz from Kenny's syndicate. He also knew that the group they were now in was called The Scouting Regiment.

Eld and Gunther had left Kenny's syndicate about a year after his encounter with Harbinger to strike out on their own as heroes. A year after that, they joined up with The Commander and Bloodhound. They were probably the only two heroes in the city that didn't think him a complete asshole. He almost never interacted with them, though. They could handle themselves, so he didn't worry about them. Most importantly, they never told The Commander that they knew him and who he was.

It was an unspoken rule among Super Heroes, to never reveal each other's true identities to anyone. Even ordinary citizens adhered to this rule. NEVER acknowledge a Super Hero's true identity, even if it was painfully obvious.

Levi noticed a new Super working the city. They were covering the area around Mitras University. They were androgynous, a little taller than Levi, and had messy brown hair pulled up into – something very messy. They wore a simple black spandex costume covered by a simple white lab coat and in lieu of a mask, they wore a pair of goggles that made their eyes look reminiscent of Mr. Magoo. But the strangest part was the straps covering their body suit with a pair of strange boxes with air tanks attached that hung from the Super's hips that had a line coming from each to attach to a pair of swords and presumably controls that they held in their hands.

The Super was currently cornered in a dead-end alley by every member of a gang that called themselves Fireball, and the rather scorched looking gang looked completely pissed. Normally, Levi wouldn't interfere with another Super's business, but this Super was clearly in over their head. Levi rolled his eyes and decided to help. He dove in steeply, and when still a few feet above the ground, between the unknown Super and the gang, he snapped his wings forward twisting them slightly at the end of the stroke, coming to an absolute halt. He put far more power into the stroke than he had back when he'd faced Harbinger's men. The shockwave roared down the alley, flattening the entire gang and leaving them unconscious on the ground.

"OH WOW! THAT WAS SO COOL! HOW'D YOU DO THAT? WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? OOOOOOO! ARE THOSE WINGS REAL? CAN I TOUCH 'EM? I WANNA TOUCH THEM! ARE THE FEATH….MPFF!"

"Come up for air you raving lunatic!" Levi growled as he held his hand over the person's mouth.

He yelped in indignation and revulsion, quickly withdrawing his hand as if burnt by fire when the Super licked his palm. "Disgusting!"

They now held out their hand to him. "I'm Scientist! I have the power to control and read technology with my brilliant mind plus I have science and chemistry on my side!"

"Yippy fucking skippy," Levi drawled. He turned and started walking away.

"You know, you're supposed to answer me with your name." They started to follow him.

"Don't have one. Call me whatever the fuck you want to." He flew up onto the roof of a building.

He now learned what those strange boxes and tanks were for. The persistent Super fired off a pair of grappling hooks from the boxes, propelled by the air in the tanks and reeled themselves up to the rooftop with impressive speed and control. "Like it?" they asked with a proud grin. "My own invention. I call it Three Dimensional Maneuvering Gear, or 3DM Gear for short."

Levi was actually impressed with the ingenuity behind the system, but only replied with a bored, "Not bad," and continued walking away.

They clearly could not take a hint as they followed him. "So, that incredible attack down there . . . Oh! The police are finally responding to my call!" they exclaimed as sirens sounded behind them down on the street. "Anyway, what do you call that?"

Levi rolled his eyes. "I call it attacking."

"Well that won't do!" they said as they used their gear to follow him to the next building up and over. "Every Super Hero needs to have a cool name for their special attacks!"

He spun on his heels to face the annoying pest. "Let's get one thing straight, Four Eyes. I am not a hero!"

"Of course you are!" they retorted. "After all, you totally saved my ass down there. I was out of my flash bombs and there were far more of them than I expected. I was afraid I was going to have to use my concussion bomb to wipe them out. But that would have damaged the buildings around me too. So, you're totally a hero!"

Levi turned to walk away again. So why don't I just fly away and leave this weirdo in my dust? "Whatever. If that's what you want to believe."

"OH! OH! OH! I've got a perfect name for that attack! Thunder Shock!" They hopped up and down in excitement.

The raven paused a moment. "Not bad. I kinda like it." I cannot believe I just said that out loud! What is it with this loon?

"Right? Now we have to come up with a really great name for you!" they continued.

Levi gave up walking away, seeing as the exuberant Super couldn't seem to take a hint, and sat down on the rooftop, looking out across the city. "I don't need a fucking lame-ass moniker."

"People must call you something!"

"People call me all sorts of things; Asshole, shorty, short-stack, shrimp, fuckface . . . take your pick. I don't care."

"Oh, come now, my little box of grumps. Don't be like that!"

Levi's eyes widened slightly. "… Little box of grumps?"

"Yep. You're small and you're grumpy. It fits."

Levi rolled his eyes and shook his head. "At least it's one of the more imaginative names I've been called."

They giggled. "But we can't use that as your moniker. Needs to be something cool!"

"Tch! Like someone with a completely unimaginative name like 'Scientist' can come up with a name that would in any way be considered 'cool'."

"My name is simple and to the point. Besides, The Doctor is already taken."

"It's still boring."

"Well, if you're so smart, you come up with a better one."

"Azweepay"

"Azweepay?"

Levi stood, took stick and scratched it out in the pebbles of the rooftop. "Azweepay."

Their already exaggerated eyes widened before the burst out laughing. "Oh my GAWD! That's hilarious! I'll be your side kick! Asshole and Asswipe, cleaning up the shitty city!" With that, they collapsed into hysterical laughter.

Levi just shook his head. "Heron."

They looked baffled for a moment, before understanding. "As in Heron of Alexandria?"

"Ancient Greek historian, doctor, scientist and inventor," Levi clarified.

"I like it. Buuuut . . . most people have never heard of Heron of Alexandria, so they wouldn't get the reference."

He thought for a moment. "Codex."

He actually jumped slightly when they shouted, "I LOVE IT! An ancient tome of knowledge and wisdom. I AM NOW CODEX!"

Levi groaned. What is wrong with this idiot? And what is wrong with me for still hanging around and talking with them? "Yeah, well, good for you. I've had a long night, so I'm going home." With that, he flew off over the city, with Codex calling goodbye and 'nice to meet you' after him.

Home, these days, consisted of an abandon storehouse. On the fourth floor, in one corner where there were no windows, was a spot that was dry and properly sheltered from wind and rain. Here, there wasn't a speck of dirt to be found, and there was a nest of blankets and pillows in the corner. There was a duffel bag where he kept his clothes and a few toiletries, but that was it. Just enough to survive. He removed his mask with an exhausted sigh, took off his boots and curled up on his make-shift bed to rest.


	6. Chapter 6

HARBINGER RETURNS

He kept an eye on Codex over the next few weeks. He wasn't sure why; after all, they were really annoying. _I must be a closet masochist._ Every once in a while, they would try to come up with a "cool" moniker for him, which he would immediately shoot down; Blackhawk, Midnight Crusader, Nighthawk, Dark Angel. He always responded with the same bored, "No."

Then came the inevitable suggestion, "I know! You should be Blackwing!"

"NO FUCKING WAY!" he snapped instantly.

Their eyes widened in surprise. "Well that was an unexpectedly volatile response. I thought it was pretty nice; simple, elegant, non-pretentious."

"Drop it, Four Eyes," Levi growled with unhidden anger.

"So. I wonder what makes Blackwing so much worse than Midnight Crusader," they pressed.

"None of your goddamn business. Now fucking drop it!"

"Alright. Alright!" they said, gloved hands raised in surrender. They suddenly looked at their hands and then at Levi's. "Say, why don't you wear gloves? Aren't you afraid you'll be identified by your prints?"

It was like a switch had been flipped and Levi was back to sounding absolutely bored with conversation. "Don't have any."

Codex's eyes widened. "You had them removed?"

"Not by choice."

"How do you get a decent grip on things without finger ridges?"

Levi held out his right hand, palm up, and flexed the fingers, extending the retractable claws.

"Oh, wow!" They exclaimed as they grabbed his wrist and brought the clawed fingers to their face for a close inspection. He rolled his eyes and then watched unemotionally as they touched, prodded and examined his black, razor-sharp and very hard claws. They then looked at the fingertips. "How did you lose your prints?"

"Lifting a scalding high-pressure steam pipe off someone. The pipes had exploded in Saltmarsh Power Plant and some of them collapsed on the workers. Melted my gloves into my skin. Hurt like hell."

Their face contorted into a sympathetic grimace. "Yeah, I'd think it would."

After a few minutes of quiet, Levi turned quick to look towards the river. Without a word, he took off towards one of the popular foot bridges. Codex fired off a couple of grappling hooks from their gear to follow. "Hey! Wait up!"

As he approached the bridge, his sensitive ears confirmed that he had indeed heard cries of distress. "NO! PLEASE! YOU CAN KILL ME IF YOU WANT TO, BUT PLEASE, LEAVE MY WIFE AND KIDS ALONE! THEY'RE INNOCENT! THEY HAVE NOTH – UMPH!"

The poor man was silenced with a harsh punch to his gut. "STEWART!" a woman, presumably his wife screamed. A second later, the man that had punched Stewart was sent flying off the bridge into the river below.

"SHIT! What the hell was that?" One of the nine remaining men yelped just as the lights along the bridge all went out as Codex landed at one end of the bridge and cut the power with a single touch to the first lamp post.

A second man went flying in the opposite direction and into the frigid water as Levi came flying back through. In the dark of night, Levi was nothing but a blast of wind passing back and forth over the bridge.

"Hey! Don't take all the fun!" Codex called. "Leave a few for me!" The area around their face lit up, revealing a downright scary smile. "Tell me boys, who wants to be the first person ever to try out my new ultrasonic gun?" They were carrying what looked like a hand gun with a satellite dish on the end – straight out of a B rated Sci-fi movie. "You'll have to tell me what it feels like! This is gonna be so fun!" They weren't even bothering to hide their excitement.

They shot at the closest crook to them, and the man jerked, eyes rolled back in his head, and then he crumpled to a heap on the ground. Before the others could charge, Levi sent yet another flying into the river. Only four men remained. "SHIT! Forget the Supers! Let's get out of here! Harbinger's gonna kill us!"

Codex was blocking one way off the bridge, so the men turned to run the other way, only to find their way blocked by Levi. He walked towards them slowly, but deliberately. "You fuckwads work for Harbinger? Where is he?"

One of the men snorted. "As if we'd tell **_you_**! He'd kill us!"

"No doubt," Levi replied evenly. "But you have a choice. Either a slow death tortured by Harbinger, or a quick, painless death at my hands. Now, where is he?"

"Easy, Short-stack," Codex said. "Let's not go overboard, here."

"Why not? They don't have a problem with killing innocent women and children. They work for Harbinger, so that's to be expected. Filth like that cannot be allowed to live."

The four men pulled their guns and began shooting. Codex activated an energy barrier with a button on their belt. Levi used his wings to block the bullets as he continued walking forward. Once he was close enough, he swung both wings out with tremendous force, flinging two of the men against the sides of the bridge. One of them hit a lamp post, his spine snapping audibly, the other hit the rail, with his head slamming into a post.

Codex dropped one from behind with their sonic weapon, and Levi grabbed the last one by the throat, pinning him to the rail and breaking the wrist holding the gun. "No. Please. Don't kill me," the man pleaded.

"Tell me," Levi said calmly, his silver eyes cold and deadly as he looked down on the pleading man. "What were you going to do when those innocent children begged you to not kill them? Hm? Can you honestly tell me that you would have spared them? You're going to suffer the same fate you've inflicted on who knows how many people. But first, you're going to tell me where Harbinger is hiding."

"No. No. He'll kill me!"

"Tch! **_I'm_** going to kill you. Question now is whether it's a painless death or not."

"No! Please!"

"Where is he?"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

The man screamed when one of Levi's claws ripped his right nostril all the way up to the bone. "Wrong answer. Try again."

"I really don't know," the man sobbed. "He sends us our orders by phone. We work out of the old Paradise Estates condos."

Levi's faintly glowing silver eyes narrowed. "That'll have to do. It's a start, anyway." The man let out a strangled gasp as Levi's hand tightened around his throat and the claws pierced the flesh.

"WAIT!" Codex yelled. "Please don't do this! The police can get more info out of him!"

"Bullshit!" Levi retorted. "He'll be out on the streets killing for that sick madman again within hours. This way, he'll never hurt anyone again." His merciless grip on the man's throat never weakened.

"Don't stoop to his level."

"Think about it a moment. Harbinger is the most feared asshole in the world. He's brutal and has no regard for human life. The people who work for him are the same. Furthermore, the police are terrified of him. They'll kick this piece of shit back out on the street for no other reason than because they don't want to risk the wrath of Harbinger. It happens every time one of his men is brought in. This bozo said so himself, Harbinger is going to kill him, whether it's for failure or to silence him, and it's not going to be a quick, merciful death. He's going to die very slowly, and while personally I believe he certainly deserves it, I don't intend to let that happen to him, because that **_is_** wrong and **_would_** be stooping to his level." Levi felt the body go completely limp in his grip as he spoke. He could no longer detect the heartbeat's vibrations through the body. "I know it's not ideal, but the only way to put an end to the suffering and deaths of innocent citizens, is to end the murderers. The punishment fits the crime."

"But . . ."

"It's too late for him." Levi finally released his grip on the man's throat, and the lifeless body fell to the ground. He turned to the family, laying on the ground with Stewart using his own body to shield them as much as possible. "It's over."

The man looked up, then stood and helped his family up. "Thank you so much. Thank you for saving my family."

"Why does Harbinger want you dead?"

"It's not me he wants dead," the man explained. "They were supposed to kill my wife or one of my kids. I work for Opecorp. I designed a sonic weapon that uses infrasonic blasts to either disable or kill a target. It could be scaled up to wipe out an entire encampment, or scaled down to individual use, like a hand gun. But I accidently found out that the weapon was supposed to be given to Harbinger . . . I . . . I destroyed the prototype, the test results, the designs, everything. Opecorp first threatened my job, but when I quit . . . I guess that's when Harbinger sent these men after me and my family." The man had begun to cry. "I'm so sorry, Kate. I wish I had never invented such a weapon. We'll have to disappear."

Levi felt sorry for the man. "Look for a man named Nile Dawk. He works with an agency that specializes in making people disappear. You and your family will have a whole new life and it will be as if your old life never happened. You can find him on the 14th floor of the MP Tower. Tell him the short little asshole sent you. He'll know who you mean. Codex, I trust you'll be able to see these people get there safely."

Codex had a sad look on their face as they regarded Levi. "Of course." They then put a cheerful look on their face. "Okay! Follow me. We're off to MP Tower!" they said as the strode across the bridge. "My name is Codex, and I'll be tour your guide today. And we're walking!"

As soon as they were out of sight and earshot, Levi leaned over the railing and vomited.

* * *

The Commander found Levi brooding atop Mitras Center, the city's tallest skyscraper. "I hear you killed seven men the other night."

"What of it?" Levi challenged.

"That was murder."

"No shit, Sherlock. But considering how many lives each of those men have taken, I can't bring myself to feel bad about it."

"But alive, they could have led us to Harbinger."

Levi huffed out a bitter laugh. "Don't kid yourself, Eyebrows. They would never have talked. They were more afraid of Harbinger than they were of any of us. The police are so afraid of him that they'd've turned those mean loose immediately; no questions asked."

"I take it you've had experience with Harbinger."

Levi didn't answer.

The Commander sighed. "We could really use your skills and resourcefulness in the Scouts. The only stipulation would be no killing. We question suspects ourselves before turning them over to police."

"I'm not joining your little band of boy scouts."

"Is killing that important to you?"

"That's not the point. I work alone." Levi turned to fly away, but then hesitated. "Do you really think I enjoy taking people's lives, regardless of the horrors they've committed?"

"Don't you?"

"No."

"Then why do it?"

"It's a necessary evil. I do it so no one else has to." Done with the conversation, Levi flew off across the city.

"You stain your hands with blood to spare others the pain of such a burden." The Commander said quietly as he shook his head. "There has to be another way."

* * *

Levi found out from Codex that The Commander had gotten all of the Super Heroes in Mitras to join forces to take Harbinger down. He was perched on the edge of a rooftop overlooking Somerset Park, Mitras' largest park. _These guys should know that Harbinger is planning on them teaming up against him. He's not just super strong. His intelligence is far beyond average – he's smarter than most geniuses. He knows all of the Supers are here and he's planning on taking them all down at once. I just hope he never got a hold of one of those sonic weapons Stewart had been working on. I know Stewart said he destroyed it and the research, but one of the other employees may have salvaged something. Kenny said there are rumors everywhere in Mitras about Harbinger's supposed new super weapon._

Levi knew that the other heroes were scattered about the park, awaiting Harbinger's arrival. Supposedly, Harbinger was setting up some kind of bomb in the park to go off during the upcoming River Festival. _I know that this is definitely something Harbinger would do, but usually there's something for him to gain from his destruction. I can't find anything that he can gain from this, unless he ransoms the people at risk to city hall. Even so, it's usually impossible to tell what he's up to until it's to late. I can't shake the feeling that this is a trap. His real target is all of the heroes._

He scanned the park below. He could already make out several of the heroes, but he also detected a number of Harbinger's men. He spotted several coming up from the sewers and drains. Then he spotted over a dozen vehicles entering the park from multiple entrances. _Definitely a trap. He's being way too obvious about drawing attention to his entrance. Can't tell which car is his, though. _

Once all of the vehicles arrived about a hundred yards from the center of the park, they stopped, and at least six people got out of each vehicle. _He's not among them. Where is he?_

There was a loud explosion in the very center of the park, like fireworks going off, followed by a lot of purple, blue, gold and green smoke and sparks. "Ladies and Gentlemen!" sang Harbinger's obnoxious voice. The smoke cleared and Harbinger stood in a lime green zoot-suit with a wide brim fedora on his head. Under the open suit jacket he wore a dark purple button-up shirt and there was a dark purple band around the crown of his hat. Shiny brown leather shoes adorned his feet and a pair of black jewel earrings adorned his ears. "Here I am! Come and get me!"

Levi growled involuntarily. _I knew it was a trap!_

Bolt was the first hero to attack. Electricity crackled around her as she moved in swiftly. One of Bolt's unique abilities was the ability to stop a bullet using the electric current she generated. But the bullet from the gun of one of Harbinger's men easily pierced her back and struck her heart. A look of shock was on her dying face as she fell. "HA! Rubber bullet! Extra hard and fired from an extremely high-powered rifle! I've been dying to try that out! This is gonna be so much fun!"

_Bolt! No!_ Levi still refrained from attacking. He observed, looking for patterns and weaknesses. It was all out war as the more than 200 men Harbinger had with him opened fire on the heroes. The weapons were quite varied and obviously not standard issue. These weapons were designed specifically to kill Supers.

Levi then saw Rapier and Razor moving in from opposite sides. /**Eld! Gunther! No! He's** **expecting that!**/ Levi warned them telepathically. Both men veered off, but it was too late. Harbinger picked up two very odd-looking objects beside him, pointed one at each high-speed hero, and both dropped instantly. "NOOOOOO!" Levi cried out as he watched them fall. He had barely been able to see the distortion created by the concentrated, low frequency sound wave that traveled outward in a narrow band, barely expanding as it moved out from its point of origin. _That was a focused sound wave! Shit! He did get a hold of an infrasonic weapon!_

Harbinger laughed maniacally as he began shooting down Supers like flies, even killing some of his own men in the process. Levi dove in to attack. At just over a mile away, it still took him nearly 30 seconds to reach his target, and in the meantime, 42 people were either injured or killed by Harbinger's weapons. As he was closing in, Harbinger, somehow sensing his approach, turned and fired at him.

Levi shifted just enough to avoid a fatal hit, but the infrasonic sound wave, extremely loud and extremely focused, hit his right shoulder. He let out a short, sharp cry as the wind was knocked from him, but continued forward. Running on adrenaline and oblivious to the extent of his injury, he gripped the dagger in his right hand, came in below the line of fire, and slashed through Harbinger's right forearm. He followed up swiftly with a deep slash to the left forearm, causing Harbinger to drop both weapons. A powerful roundhouse kick sent the madman flying back away from the dropped implements of destruction. Levi drew his own gun and fired a bullet into each weapon to permanently disable them.

As he raised the gun to fire at Harbinger, he was horrified to discover the villain had already regained his footing. Levi barely got his arms up in time to protect his head from the devastating backhand. He still was sent tumbling several yards across the rough ground, dropping his gun in the process. Harbinger began striding towards him as he began to get back to his feet. Levi greeted his oncoming foe with a sneer. "You still hit every bit as hard as I remember. But tonight, that's not going to matter. Tonight, you die."

"Cocky little son-of-a-bitch, aren't you?" Harbinger giggled. "Do you have any idea how many heroes have told me that over the years? Every single one of them turned out to be a zero!"

"I've been training five years for this. You'll never harm another soul again after tonight."

"Do I know you?"

Levi's devious smirk intensified. In answer, he removed his mask.

Harbinger's red eyes widened and a smile spread across his face. "Well, well, well! If it isn't Jerome's little boy! Back from the dead a second time! Oh goodie! Now I get the fun of killing you all over again! I haven't forgiven you for killing my precious Jerome. Like my earrings? They're made from those tear gems you cried five years ago!"

Levi rolled his eyes and swung a left hook at the lunatic's face. "You talk too much."

Harbinger caught the fist before it could make contact. "But that's one of my best charms," he countered. Levi immediately went to kick his opponent in the ribs, but Harbinger caught the leg in his arm. With both his left hand and right leg immobilized, Levi extended the claws on his right hand and drove them into the flesh of Harbinger's abdomen and was rewarded with a pained cry of surprise.

"They grew back," Levi sneered. He soon grunted as the wind was again knocked from his lungs when Harbinger threw him across the open ground and into a large tree trunk nearly thirty feet away.

"That hurt, little boy! Maybe this time I'll just remove your entire hand!"

The battle with Harbinger's men, in the meantime, intensified when Kenny's men joined the fray. As soon as the villain's sonic weapons were disabled, Kenny gave the order to attack. The battle had now turned in the Supers' favor. Harbinger snarled in rage when he noticed. Levi's confident smirk returned as he picked himself up off the ground. "Bet you didn't see that coming."

Harbinger spun to face the small Super, but both were surprised when The Commander drifted down between them. "Give up now, Harbinger, and make this easy on yourself."

The madman was immediately back to his smiling self. "HA! One; where would the fun in that be? And two; there isn't a jail or prison in existence that can hold me!"

"Commander! Get away from him! You can't take him. You don't know what you're up against," Levi warned.

"Better listen to the little boy over there. He's speaking from experience. Though apparently, he didn't learn his lesson very well, seeing as he thinks he's gonna kill me tonight."

"There's been too much killing already. More killing will solve nothing. Come quietly, Harbinger. We have questions for you," The Commander stated.

It started off as a restrained giggle, but quickly escalated into a full-blown laugh of insanity. "You crack me up . . . Commander, is it? Oh, my gawd! That self-righteous speech was just too much!" Tears began running from his red eyes, he was laughing so hard. Without any warning, Harbinger lunged at The Commander.

The Commander evaded the punch easily enough, still hovering just above the ground and going straight up so that Harbinger passed below him. The villain was quick, however, and pulling out a heavy cord from within his jacket, spun around and looped it around the blond Super's ankle. With a powerful yank, The Commander was slammed into the same tree Levi had been thrown against. The massive trunk cracked under the force of the impact, and splinters flew in all directions.

While Harbinger had been engaged with The Commander, Levi had taken flight and was now diving in at all of 200 mph. "HARBINGER!"

The Super Villain turned and looked up with his trademark smile and prepared to strike the attacker down, but he never got the chance. Just outside of striking distance, Levi snapped his wings open and forward with tremendous force. The result was nothing short of spectacular. The thunderous roar was deafening, and the shockwave was clearly visible. It created a large, round crater in the ground, but as it reached a central point, the shockwave rushed back outwards.

This was the one drawback to the attack. If one was too close to the target when the attack was unleashed, the attacker could get caught in his own shockwave. Determined to ensure that Harbinger died, Levi had set off the shockwave at point-blank range. Though he pulled back quickly, he was not fast enough to fully escape the backlash of his own attack. It caught his feet and lower legs and sent him tumbling across the torn-up ground for dozens of yards.

Levi groaned as he slowly picked himself up from the dirt. His ears were ringing and his head was swimming. He could no longer hear the sounds of battle going on elsewhere in the park. He looked towards the crater left over from his final attack. In a daze, he limped over to the edge, looking down at the mangled corpse within. White hair, lime green and purple cloth, were all stained dark with blood. The twisted grin gone since the lower jaw was off to the side, barely hanging on by the skin. Red eyes were wide with shock, but unseeing. The skull was caved in on the left side and the limbs were bent in places no leg or arm should bend.

Levi stumbled back. It was over.

Though oblivious to the continuing battle all around him, he heard The Commander's voice clear as day. "Damn it," he said under his breath, and then louder, "Was it really necessary to kill him? We needed to question him. He had information about Titan."

Levi turned to face the tall blond, not bothering to conceal the rage in his silver eyes. "Do you really have to ask that? Hundreds of thousands dead by that sick fuck's hands over the years and you ask if it was necessary to kill him? Hundreds of Supers dead by his hands, many of whom were more experienced and even as strong as you, and you seriously think you could have held him long enough to ask questions? You seriously think he would've even deigned to answer such questions? You're an even bigger fool than I thought you were." That said, he spread his wings and flew away.

The Commander looked down into the depression and noticed a bit of paper sticking out from the former villain's jacket. Three jet black beads fell from the inside pocket as he pulled the paper out. He picked up the beads and then looked at the paper. It was the photo that Harbinger had taken of Levi five years earlier when he nearly killed the boy. Though he didn't know the story behind it, The Commander knew that the image was of the small Super that had just flown away.

Levi didn't fly very far. His adrenaline rush faded fast and the pain in his shoulder, feet, shins and ankles caught up to him. No longer able to fly, he landed hard on the small knoll at the end of the park by the river. He fell to his knees, out of breath and gasping in pain. The Commander landed behind him just in time to see him vomit . . . or rather, try to. "Fuck," Levi croaked between heaves. "I didn't even eat anything . . . this . . . this shouldn't be . . . happening."

"Does this happen every time you take a life?" The Commander asked gently as he knelt down and began rubbing the smaller man's back. Levi nodded in response, still heaving. "I understand that you had a run in with Harbinger a few years ago. I also gather that encounter didn't end well for you. You took off your mask. You **_wanted_** him to know who you are. You **_wanted_** him to know who was killing him."

"So what," Levi snarled, finally finished heaving.

"It still didn't give you the right to kill him. He had vital information about Titan that we-"

"That soulless piece of dried up shit has murdered thousands of people!" Levi snapped angrily as he leapt to his feet and spun to face the tall blond. "Add in all of the family and friends left behind in pain, mourning the loss of the ones they loved. Add in again all the people in the future that will miss out on a friend, lover, savior and those that will never exist because of those deaths! That sick fuck has negatively altered literally millions of lives! That monster will **_NEVER_** harm another living soul again!"

"That's what prisons are for," The Commander countered.

"PRISON?!" Levi let out a bitter laugh. "You put far too much faith in the so called 'justice' system. Harbinger was imprisoned twice; once was in a high security mental institute and guess what . . . he escaped . . . twice! He escaped and was free to keep right on killing. Most of the time, the police won't even hold him **_or _**his men!"

"That's still no excuse to murder him."

"HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE, COMMANDER?!" Levi shouted. "How many more innocent lives are worth losing to spare his one worthless life? Can you tell me that?"

The blond stood there with his mouth open, but nothing came out.

Levi's glare deepened. "I thought not. The system doesn't work, Commander. Criminals and Super Villains are arrested, but either get released because the police are scared of them, they get off on some asinine technicality, bribe their way out or they escape prisons that are ill equipped to hold them, freeing them to continue to kill and ruin every life they touch. The rights of the criminals outweigh the rights of the innocent. The victims' right to feel safe from their tormentors means nothing. Thousands of people will sleep better knowing that Harbinger's reign of terror is truly over. They don't care what information he took to his grave. It wasn't worth the risk of losing thousands of more precious lives when he escaped again. And he**_ would_** have escaped."

"I know how you feel about killing people, Commander, but I have to agree with this guy," said Bloodhound as he walked up.

The Commander sighed. "I'm not saying that I disagree with him. His reasoning is sound. It's just . . . the information we believe Harbinger had could affect millions of lives."

"Tch. That shit stain has already affected millions of lives too many. It's over." Levi turned to limp away.

"He's bleeding internally," Bloodhound stated. "And he's running a fever."

Levi paused. "How the fuck can you possibly know that?"

"The nose knows," the lanky giant stated.

"Bloodhound, perhaps you could drive us to St. Sina?" The Commander suggested.

"Fuck off, Eyebrows. Beringer's already gonna be overrun with torn-up Supers. I'll heal fine on my own." Levi turned and again started limping in the general direction of his daytime hideaway. That was the last thing he remembered.

Levi woke up 24 hours later in a hospital bed.


	7. Chapter 7

Nightshade

It was the fifth report in just three days. Another college student going absolutely berserk and attacking everyone they encountered in broad daylight for no apparent reason. "Beringer tells me that it's a rare plant compound that's causing the madness," Kenny told Levi. "Colchicaceae Solani; apparently it drives people completely mad if they ingest any part of the plant."

"We had a problem with high school kids playing around with the flowers about seven years ago. They were eating the flowers in salads. But they didn't react anywhere near as violent as these last few. Now the Nightshade Lily is illegal to even grow in this country," Levi commented.

"True, that. But Beringer says this is a different strain of the plant. Something about it being a serum; concentrated or refined . . . like cocaine is. Worse still, there's no antidote, so they have to strap the kids down until the toxin leaves their system after about 72 to 84 hours. Says it may even be injected. Not only do they go berserk, but they seem to have abnormal strength on top of that. Scary as fuck, I'll tell you." Kenny sighed and ran his had back through his dark hair. "Thing is, the people affected are all healthy college kids with good grades and no history of drug use or alcoholism or any bad behavior at all. The first two have finally come out of it and neither can remember what happened other than they were walking across campus and then remember nothing."

"Someone's poisoning them on purpose," Levi concluded. "Anything in common among the students? Any common enemies or jealous underachievers?"

"Nah. Nothin' in common. Varying ages, gender, course of study and current level of study. No common race, religion or sexual orientation. No. Police haven't found a single common thread to link them. But like you, they think the students are victims, not perps."

Levi growled softly. "So where are the Nightshade Lilies coming from? Even if the stuff is being manufactured and refined, they have to be growing the lilies somewhere. As I recall from seven years ago, those flowers have a real distinct smell; strong and fragrant. Smell is strong enough to wake the dead if you have a greenhouse full of them. That means the greenhouse is either outside the city, or it's hermetically sealed."

"Perhaps they're bringing in the final product from abroad," Kenny suggested.

"Not likely. The pattern of victims suggests random experimentation. The only thing they have in common, according to you, is being young and healthy. So the perpetrators are targeting healthy young adults . . . but to what end? Not that **_why_** matters much, I suppose. Need to shut the operation down no matter what. Thanks for the tip, Kenny."

"Wait, Levi. It's only been two weeks since that war with Harbinger and his men. Are you sure you're recovered enough to start actively hunting again?"

"I heal much faster than most people, remember. If it'll make you feel any better, I'll check in with Beringer before I go out on patrol."

Kenny nodded in satisfaction. "Please do. The damage done by the infrasonic weapons that freak was using is nothing to sneeze at."

The infrasonic weapon that had struck Levi in the right shoulder had fractured bones and severely bruised and hemorrhaged internal tissue. The bones, though not broken through had thousands of microscopic fractures in them, and the marrow had been all but reduced to mush. The blood vessels, muscle, and part of his upper right lung were heavily bruised as if they'd been pounded by a meat tenderizer. He had fallen into a 'healing coma', as Beringer called it, and been brought in to the hospital by Bloodhound and The Commander.

One thing Kenny had always emphasized in teaching Levi, was the importance of keeping promises. So, as he'd promised, he went to see Beringer before going out to dig up more information on the Nightshade Lily incidents. The doctor used his power to check the young Super's condition and then gave him the all clear to return to full activity.

* * *

One week and four incidents later, Levi still couldn't track down the source of the lilies. While most Supers were out trying to find the person or persons targeting the students, or 'treat the symptoms', as Levi called it, he was going straight for the source. Wipe out the supply and the incidents will stop. As much as he hated to ask, there was only one person he could think of that might be able to find the greenhouse.

Not that the individual in question was hard to find. "At least your creepily open fascination with my activities makes the two of you easy to locate," Levi told The Commander and Bloodhound as he landed on the university's library roof behind them.

The Commander turned to face him with a disarming smile on his face. "Well, it's good to see you out and about again. How are you feeling?"

"Cut the bullshit, Eyebrows. I'm not here to chit chat." He directed his attention to Bloodhound. "As much as I hate to ask anyone for anything, I need your nose, Sniffy."

Bloodhound was clearly surprised as he turned to face the small Super. "Really?"

Levi rolled his eyes. "Yes. Really. Tell me. Can you sniff out a location even if it's a hermetically sealed environment just by detecting the residual trace scent molecules that remain on a person even after careful cleaning?"

"I can," Bloodhound stated with pride. "Why?"

"Listen, you've no doubt heard about the students going berserk at this school. It's caused by a plant known commonly as the Nightshade Lily."

"Hm. That's an illegal plant in this country; in many countries for that matter," The Commander mused.

"Right. However, someone is growing them somewhere here in Mitras. They're extracting the toxin, refining it and somehow getting it into healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 24 years. If I can find and destroy the source, then, by default, the experiments will stop."

"Experiments? Please, elaborate," The Commander requested.

"The targets have only one thing in common; their age and their health," Levi explained. "Other than that, the attacks appear to be completely random. The attacks all happen during broad daylight, often when there are a lot of other people around. Furthermore, the results have gone from just going bat-shit-crazy to going bat-shit-crazy with double the normal human strength. The time it takes for the effects to wear off has gone from 72-84 hours to well over 100 hours in just the last couple of weeks. This suggests that the perpetrator is testing and then modifying their 'product' to see if it works as they want it to."

"So where do I come in?" Bloodhound asked.

"I'm looking for the greenhouse that the lilies are grown in. It's likely a large facility somewhere not far from here. It's hermetically sealed to prevent the smell from alerting authorities to its presence. Such a facility will require a large number of workers. No matter what precautions they take in cleaning before leaving the facility, trace amounts of the scent will be left on the individuals; VERY trace amounts."

"So, what am I looking for?"

"The Nightshade Lily had a very distinctive and powerful scent. Very sweet; kind of like vanilla, citrus, mint and a hint of spice or cinnamon. It used to be used in perfumes until about 50 years ago. It was banned do to the aggression it seemed to stimulate in the wearer with extended use," Levi stated.

Bloodhound's eyes widened. "I've smelled something like that recently; a few times, actually. It was during the daylight hours, and I was walking down the street going home from work. There was a man walking the other way that smelled very faintly like you described. It was VERY faint, but still distinct enough for me to notice. At the time I thought it was rather pleasant."

Levi's silver eyes darkened. "Got 'em. We need to find that man again and follow him. He'll lead us to the greenhouse."

"I wonder who we'll find behind all this. It doesn't seem to fit with any known criminal's M.O." The Commander wondered.

"I don't give a shit who it is. I'm just going to burn that greenhouse to the ground," Levi responded.

* * *

Though usually not out in broad daylight, Levi followed Bloodhound, Mike Zacharias by day, as he trudged home from his day job. All of a sudden, the lanky man paused, then turned to look at a rather ordinary, middle-aged man that had just passed him going in the opposite direction. Levi got the message, and immediately began following the new target.

Over the next few hours, Levi and The Commander, later joined by Bloodhound, followed the man to a diner where he ate supper alone, to three separate bars, then to a high-end brothel. Finally, he led them to an abandoned factory by the river near the edge of the city. It was actually two buildings separated by an overgrown field that had once been a parking lot.

The difference between the two supposedly identical buildings was immediately apparent. While both were run down, the one by the river had many broken windows and the air conditioning system was clearly non-functioning, with the air ducts broken and missing in places. The other building, however, had a brand-new air system on the roof and all of the windows were intact.

Closer inspection revealed that a second building had been built inside the original. The three Super's gathered on the roof of the outside building. "A building within a building. Most of the new building is the greenhouse structure, while at one end is the clean-room and the other is clearly offices and such," The Commander contemplated aloud.

"This is definitely the place," Bloodhound confirmed. "The smell is faint, but still much stronger that it was on the man we were following."

"The guards must be inside the factory building," Levi commented. "I'm not seeing or hearing anyone out here. Makes sense, since they don't want to draw attention to this place by having people wandering around outside in the open."

Levi pulled a few odd-looking rings from his jeans' pockets, placing them on the tip of the thumb and middle finger of each hand. He snapped his fingers, creating a spark as the rings were struck together. "I'm going in. You two do what you want, but stay the hell out of my way."

"Wait. Hey . . . ugh! I wish we had a name to call that guy," The Commander grumbled the last part. "Damn it. C'mon. Time to do some damage control."

"We could always call him 'That Asshole' like everyone else does," Bloodhound chuckled.

* * *

Levi broke in by picking the lock of the rooftop service door. Not finding any guards, he slipped down the stairs to a metal grate landing from which a ladder extended to the cement floor 50 feet below. He spread his wings and soundlessly coasted over to land on a nearby support beam to scope out the area below. From his vantage point, he could see a number of guards walking around the perimeter of the inside building. _Damn! The lack of guards outside is deceiving. There have to be well over a hundred guards protecting this greenhouse . . . and that's just out here. They're well armed, too. Those look like SIG516 assault rifles they're carrying. They've left the roof completely unguarded, though. Big mistake. They're too confident._

When he was sure no one would see, he glided down to land on the roof of what The Commander had identified as offices at the nearest end of the greenhouse. Even here, he couldn't detect the scent of the lilies. He approached the rooftop service door. _Now I know why they don't have guards up here. Need a handprint id and a code to get in. If only Codex were here. Hate to have to go back out to get them, but . . . _He whipped around, pulling his dagger and holding out in readiness to attack. /**Codex! What the fuck is wrong with you, sneaking up on people like that!?**/

Codex's eyes widened. /**oooooo! Telepathy! What an awesome power! Oo, oo, oo! What am I thinking?**/

Levi glared at them. /**Now's not the time, Four Eyes. And don't you DARE tell anyone I can do this, or I'll rip out your tongue and shove it up your ass so far, you'll never shit it out! Now can you open this door? I'd rather get in without drawing any attention.**/

Codex held up their hand, pulled off the glove and wiggled their fingers with a silly grin, before placing it against the door's keypad. The door opened with a soft hiss as the seal was broken and the inside and outside air mixed. Both were instantly hit with the overwhelming scent of the flowers within. /**We better move fast. The smell will alert the guards to a breach.**/ Levi told them.

A dark stairwell led down to and equally dark, narrow hall that in turn, led out to a platform overlooking the vast greenhouse. The two crouched down and observed the scene below. Long rows of tables covered with literally thousands of lilies in varying stages of growth; from seedlings to fully grown plants with dark almost black flowers. Nearly a hundred workers were tending the plants and harvesting flowers. A man in a white lab coat came towards them and disappeared through unseen doors below the platform. _The refining lab must be below_**.**

Levi's sensitive ears detected two men talking behind a door at the back of the platform. What caught his attention was when one of the men mentioned, "Titan will be pleased with our progress. The Nightshade Serum is finally perfected."

_Titan . . . I've heard that somewhere before . . . The Commander! He mentioned Harbinger having information about that. _He continued to assess the situation below. He had noted a stairwell back down the hallway when they had first entered. He turned, retreated back the way they'd come and then down the stairs to another dark passageway. He headed out to the greenhouse, cracking the door out of the hall to check his immediate surroundings.

Codex, still on the platform, turned to ask Levi something, but discovered he wasn't there. They looked out over the greenhouse again and was startled to watch as the hall door below exploded out and Levi flew out over the plants. With a snap of his fingers, sparks ignited and he sent a searing hot blast of flames over the two nearest tables, consuming the plants instantly. The workers all drew back in horror as the winged terror ignited flames in the next row of tables.

Levi landed on the next row of tables. _SHIT! These workers are slaves! _What he'd been unable to see from the platform, was that each worker's ankles were cuffed to a chain that ran the length of the tables. The Commander broke through the wall at the far end of the greenhouse. "Commander! There's a chain that runs the length of each row of tables along the floor. Break the chain at your end so we can free these workers and get them outside!" Levi shouted to him.

With a quick nod, The Commander broke each chain with his hands at his end, while Levi grabbed each chain at his end and with a quick, powerful yank, snapped them all the way back to his end and free of the slaves' cuffs. Without any orders, the men and women all ran for the exit. The Commander turned his attention to protecting the escaping prisoners from the guards that were rushing in. Bloodhound was outside doing the same.

The Commander looked back to see that Levi was again in the air and with snaps of his fingers, was setting the rest of the plants on fire. Levi then burst into the lab. "If you want to live, I suggest you leave this building at once." With that, he set the lab ablaze. Scientists and techs all fled the room out the back to escape the intense flames.

Levi's next stop was the room upstairs where he'd heard the two men talking. He noticed Codex coming out of another door. "I just stole all their research data," they boasted.

"Good for you," Levi said dryly before snapping his fingers and setting the room on fire. "Now get out of here before you burn up."

He kicked in the door of the office he'd heard the two men in. He found them gathering up papers and equipment in preparation of fleeing. One of the men was the one he, Bloodhound and The Commander had followed. The other was clearly the head of the operation. The first man, Levi simply punched in the face, knocking him unconscious, the other, he grabbed by the throat and pinned to the wall. "Normally I'd kill scum like you for trying to ruin people's lives like you have, but lucky for you, I know someone who would love to question you." He then punched the man in the face, rendering him as senseless as his companion.

Levi hefted the men up, one over each shoulder, stepped out on to the platform, set the office and its contents ablaze then flew towards up towards the roof. One quick strike with his Thunder Shock blew a hole in the side of the roof. He repeated this at the windows of the outer building. All of the prisoners had settled on the grass near the river. He found The Commander, Bloodhound and Codex standing halfway between the two factories with the disarmed and unconscious guards. Levi unceremoniously dumped his two crooks at The Commander's feet.

"These bozos know something about that Titan you mentioned a few weeks ago. Figured you might want to question them." The factory building behind them collapsed in on itself as the intense inferno continued to consume it.

Codex was bouncing in place. "What's wrong with you?" Levi asked. "You look like a little kid that needs to take a piss real bad."

"How'd you do it?" they gushed.

"Do what?"

"The fire thing! Are you pyrokinetic too?"

"No," Levi replied. "Pyrokinetics can create flame out of nothing, and they cannot be harmed by fire. They can also control where the flame goes and can strengthen, weaken or snuff it out at will. I can spread an existing flame, but otherwise I can't control or quell the flame." Levi snapped his fingers, creating the spark that burst into a little puff of flame that almost immediately went out again. "These rings are steel and flint. By snapping my fingers, I get a spark that I can use to generate a flame. In there, I was literally burning the air. That means it was at a very high temperature, converting the air to plasma, but it was the only way to transfer the flame to the plants as well as ensure their total consumption."

Codex's eyes were wider than ever, an effect only exaggerated by their goggles, and they leaned way in to Levi's personal space to get an extra close look at the rings. "WHOA! That is **_so_** cool!"

Considering Levi's definite ideas about personal space, he snapped his fingers, creating a puff of flame that had Codex jumping back. "Get your own."

The Commander stepped forward. "Listen. Thank you for bringing us these men. If they really are working with or for Titan, their information will be extremely valuable."

Levi turned and walked away. "Whatever. My job is done. I'm gonna go take a shower. I smell like a shitty smoked sausage."

* * *

A few nights later, Levi encountered Codex again. "Greetings and salutations my little box-of-grumps!"

"Four Eyes," Levi greeted flatly.

"Soooooo, The Commander asked me to join the Scouting Regiment."

"So?"

"I think I'm gonna do it. He was really impressed with the data I got from the greenhouse. Says it will help them track down Titan."

Levi's curiosity finally got the better of him. "What is this Titan?"

"Hmm. Well, they're a kind of crime syndicate. But not like any normal syndicate. They seem to be operating on a global level. Thing is, they seem to have a specific purpose in mind, but we don't know what it is. A lot of doctors and scientist have disappeared around the world. No bodies have been found, so it's assumed that Titan isn't killing them, but rather, using them for something. It's also suspected that some doctors and scientists are working with Titan willingly, like the ones at the Nightshade greenhouse. The Commander says they're extremely dangerous."

"Sounds like a lot of cloak and dagger bullshit," Levi commented.

"Perhaps, but since these guys work in the shadows and are very well organized and funded, they are very hard to track down. They rarely leave any clues behind, and any witnesses are usually silenced before they can be questioned. Those that are questioned will often die rather than give up what they know – and it's not out of fear of Titan. It's out of loyalty. That's even scarier." Codex was quiet for a moment before changing the subject. "You should join the Scouts too. I mean, you have the powers and skills they need, and you **_definitely_** have the smarts for it."

"I'm not joining Eyebrows' little band of boy scouts. I work alone; always have; always will."

"Aw, don't be like that. You work with me sometimes. And you worked with the Scouts to take down that whole Nightshade thing," Codex argued.

"Correction. I didn't work **_with_** anyone. I **_used _**the Scouts to find my target. I'm not above using other people's strengths to compensate for my weaknesses. If something needs to be done, and I don't have what I need to do it, I have no problem with getting someone who has what I need to do so. I needed to destroy that greenhouse, but I didn't have the ability to find it. Bloodhound did. So, I got him to sniff it out. End of story." Levi thought about the incident for a moment. "So, what were you doing there?"

Codex looked quite pleased with themselves. "I spotted you and Commander following someone, so I followed too. Didn't wanna miss out on anything fun."

Levi rolled his eyes. "Figures. At least it saved me the hassle of trying to find you to open that door for me. If you ever tell anyone I was glad to see you, I'll deny it."

They giggled. "I would never! Wouldn't wanna ruin your surly reputation."

Levi prepared to fly off. "Well, enjoy the boy scouts."


	8. Chapter 8

Of Drag & Hostages

_How'd I get roped into working with these yahoos again? Oh yeah; Four Eyes. _Codex had basically harassed Levi until he gave in and decided to help them for no other reason than to shut them up. Bloodhound was currently working undercover as a bartender at the swanky nightclub that Levi, The Commander and Codex were watching from a rooftop across the street. The Commander and Codex were both dressed in smart looking suits and ties, preparing to go in. The club's owners were suspected of human trafficking; more specifically, kidnapping patrons on behalf of Titan.

"Hound says all the info we need on the owners' connection to Titan's activities is on a computer in the office. We need you to distract everyone in the club so Codex and I can break into the office unnoticed and Codex can transfer everything on the computer to our hard drive. You'll need to keep everyone distracted for a minimum of 5 minutes," The Commander explained.

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose through his mask. "Why am I helping you bozos out again?"

"Because you love me and want to do me a huge favor," Codex sang.

Levi groaned. "Whatever. When do you want me to create my 'distraction'?"

"The owners come down to check out and interact with the patrons around the same time every night. You remember what they look like, right?" The Commander asked.

"Yeah, yeah. So, you want me to create a distraction when they come out onto the main floor," Levi confirmed.

"That's right. Try not to tear the place apart, though. It's a very popular club, and most of the people in there are innocent bystanders. We don't want them to know any of us were ever there."

"No shit, Sherlock."

After he saw The Commander and Codex go inside the club, he slipped in the back. He could think of only one non-destructive way to get everyone's attention, but he wasn't sure he'd be able to look himself in the mirror afterwards. He'd removed his mask and changed his clothes before entering. The first thing he'd done was talk to the DJ, before waiting behind the black velvet curtains of the stage.

Everything in the club was shades of black, silver, blue and a few hints of purple. Codex glanced at the time. "The owners should be showing up any moment. What do you think our favorite little box-of-grumps is gonna do for a distraction?"

"Nothing too outrageous, I hope," The Commander replied. "I'd rather the owners never know we were here."

At that moment, two men and woman came down the curved, dark-blue staircase from the offices and private rooms. One of the men was tall, muscular and bald with a tattoo visible on his neck and diamond studs in his ears. The other man was equally tall, but not as hefty as the first. He was younger and had a head of curly, shocking-red hair. Both men wore black pants and waistcoats over white shirts. The woman, tall and shapely, wore her hair in a loose, brown braid down her back and wore a shimmering, open-back black dress that hugged her every curve.

"There they are," Codex said. "Let's go."

"Good evening, everyone. Hope you're all having a great night here at Club Blue Rose," the DJ announced. He was answered with a rousing shout and applause from the crowd. "Tonight, we have a special treat for all of you. A new star making her performance debut here, tonight. She's lovely. She's mysterious. She's smoking hot. Let's give a warm welcome to Lady Triella!"

The music started and the curtains opened to reveal a stunning woman with long, shiny black hair that went down to her waist and silver eyes that put the moon to shame. Her lips were full and dark red and her eyes were surrounded with long, thick eyelashes below thin, elegant eyebrows. She wore a dark blue, strapless, open-back dress that seemed to be painted onto her, and the right side of the straight, ankle length skirt had a slit all the way up to the hip. She wore a matching pair of dark blue stiletto heels and a pair of brilliant multi-diamond earrings dangled from her ears, matching the diamond necklace about her milky white throat.

She moved with astonishing grace as she began to sing and perform a slow, sensual dance.

_And how I've loved_

_And I have served_

_And I have sinned_

_But I have learned_

_As long as you are true to the life that you live_

_This is the time to feel love_

Her voice was smooth and sultry as she sang.

The Commander stared at her, as he paused at the top of the stairs. "Oh my god. Is that . . ."

Codex grabbed the collar of his shirt to drag him forward. "Yes, that's our favorite grump. Now stop staring and c'mon. If you stay here staring, we'll never get the info, and his distraction will have been for nothing and then he'll be mad and he'll have to hurt us."

A very distracted Commander allowed himself to be dragged by Codex to the office, that looked out over the club through a two-way mirror. The Commander continued to stare at the mesmerizing performance on the stage below.

_I feel a stirring deep within_

_Slowly picking up momentum_

_Like the tide coming into shore_

_Over and under in it's course_

_This feeling emblazed inside_

_Every nerve like a firefly_

_Hovering above me_

_Glow glow glowing divine_

_Every nerve like a firefly_

_Every nerve like firefly_

_This feeling emblazed inside_

_Every nerve like a firefly_

_I never want to lose_

_What I have finally found_

_There's a requiem_

_A new congregation_

_And it's telling me go forward_

_And walk under a brighter sky_

_Every nerve glowing like a firefly_

_Glow, Glow, Devine_

Her movements were slow, smooth and graceful. Her sultry dance was accentuated by her full lips and intense eyes, dilated and dark. The dress clung to the curvature of her perfectly rounded ass and the slit showed her smooth, milky thigh and hip. The eyes of everyone in the room were transfixed on her sensual, heated dance and sultry siren's song.

_I feel a stirring deep within_

_Slowly picking up momentum_

_Like the tide coming into shore_

_Over and under in it's course_

_This feeling emblazed inside_

_Every nerve like a firefly_

_Hovering above me_

_I never want to lose_

_What I have finally found_

_There's a requiem_

_A new congregation_

_And it's telling me go forward_

_And walk under a brighter sky_

_Every nerve glowing like a firefly_

_Glow, Glooooow. Divine._

_Glow, gloooooow.**_

_**Firefly by Euphoria_

At the bar, Bloodhound heard several comments along the lines of, "I'll be having wet dreams about her tonight." _So will I, _Bloodhound thought. _And I know she's a guy! Nanaba will have a good laugh at my expense if she ever finds out about this!_ He dried his hands and slipped out the back, leaving the other two bartenders to handle the rest of the night.

Levi encountered the three Scouts in the alleyway behind the club. Both Bloodhound and The Commander stared at him with slack jaws as he strode towards them with effortless feminine grace still wearing his stilettos. He stopped between them, a coy, playful smile on his dark red lips, closed their jaws with delicate fingers on their chins. "What's the matter boys," he asked in a sultry feminine voice. "Never seen a beautiful woman before?" Sometimes, when a person's emotions were strong enough, Levi could pick up on them even though he wasn't trying. He was enjoying the combined shock and arousal he was getting from the two men.

Codex was laughing hysterically at the two's reactions. Levi gave them a high five as he passed the giggling Super. "That was bloody brilliant!" Codex exclaimed through their joyful tears. "And may I say, you are one **_smoking_** hot woman!"

"Thank you," Levi replied in his normal voice. **That**_ should be a sufficient cock block for those two blond idiots. They went from wet dreams to nightmares in .02 seconds! _Just to be an ass, Levi gave them a sultry glance over his bare shoulder, and continued in his usual baritone, "I hope you got what you came for while Eyebrows and Sniffy were busy eye fucking me, Codex."

Codex was still laughing. "I did. And, The Commander was **_definitely _**drooling the entire time. That big mirror is actually a one-way window from the office. So, he stood their gaping quietly while I did my thing."

Levi turned and started walking away. "Good. I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to go change into something **_much_** more comfortable. These heels are killing me." He took the shoes off, then flew away.

Bloodhound looked troubled as the Scouts got into their minivan, an ordinary looking Chrysler Town and Country. "What's the matter, Mike?" The Commander asked him as he put on his seat belt.

Mike started the car, but then just stared out the windshield. "I think I may not be as straight as I thought I was."

"Oh?"

Mike frowned. "I'm still gonna have wet dreams about that ass even though I know it belongs to a guy."

Codex giggled in the back seat, reaching forward to pat the confused man's shoulder. "Don't feel bad, buddy. Everyone in that club will be having the same dreams, regardless of gender . . . even me!"

"They're right, Mike," The Commander agreed. "We're all in the same boat."

Codex began to laugh a little harder. "Oh, Nanaba's gonna **_love_** this!"

Mike's eyes widened as he looked at Codex through the rearview mirror. "You can't tell her about this!"

"Are you kidding me? This is too good not to tell!" Codex countered.

_I found him attractive before all this; but now . . . I shouldn't be lusting over him like this, but he's just such a beautiful man! _The Commander thought as Mike and Codex argued. _I am **SO** going to hell!_

* * *

Levi couldn't explain why he found it so hard to tell Codex to fuck off whenever they came and pestered him into helping out the Scouting Regiment with jobs. He growled softly in irritation as he followed Codex and landed on the rooftop where Bloodhound and The Commander were waiting. There was a woman with them this time. He recognized her as Static. Her power was electromagnetism. She had short, light blond hair, relatively small breasts but wonderful hips and thighs. Though more slender, she was about Codex's height and obviously very athletic.

"Oh my god!" Static exclaimed. "You really **_do_** work with the short asshole!"

"Static," Levi greeted dryly in return. He'd encountered her before a couple of times. He'd rudely insulted her both times, too, calling her Static Cling or just Cling.

"Good evening. Glad you could join us," The Commander said.

"Yeah, yeah. What do want this time?" Levi responded. "And why do you always use Codex to ask for my help?"

The Commander raised one large eyebrow. "Would you really come if **_I_** asked you?"

Levi thought a moment. "Touché."

"I'm sure Codex informed you of the hostage situation we're facing at MP Tower," The Commander stated.

"The news media has made certain that the entire city is informed of the hostage situation," Levi answered.

"True, but what they don't know is how many hostiles there are. What they also don't know is that this group is led by Argos."

Levi's eyes widened. "No way! It can't be the same Argos that captured Harbinger the second time! He's one of the world's top heroes!"

The Commander shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid it is. It seems that Titan has gotten a hold of him somehow. He seemed to disappear about two years ago, but everyone just kind of assumed he'd retired. But now he's back and apparently doing Titan's bidding. For all we know, he's been working with Titan all along, even while he was a hero. But, I guess we'll just have to wait and see what he tells us when we question him. Needless to say, we need him alive."

"Yeah, I got that," Levi said glumly. "It's still hard to believe; one of the greatest Super Heroes of all time turned Super Villain."

"Agreed. Thing is, he's very well funded and he has a lot of people with him. They've taken the entire 14th floor hostage. There's a lot of cash, Vera bonds and gold bars stored in the main vault."

Levi frowned even deeper. "That's Nile Dawk's floor; The Brigade. Yeah, they have the money and all, but that's used for their relocating of witnesses and threatened families; it's what they do. You said Titan's involved. I'd bet they're looking for someone that the Brigade hid. If they get a hold of Brigade's databases, a lot of people are going to be in danger."

"You know Nile?"

"Yeah. I've sent a lot of people to him over the years that needed to disappear." Levi looked deep in thought. "How'd this end up a hostage situation?"

"I believe it was on purpose. They **_want_** us to know they're here. I'm guessing they want everyone to think they are after the money so as to cover up the fact that they want the data," The Commander replied.

"Do they have Digit with them?" Levi asked, inquiring about a hacker that went by that moniker.

"They do."

"Shit. Even so, it's gonna take him a while to break Brigade's firewalls. The guy who leads the tech team is Daniel Bodt. He's probably the best coder alive. So where do I come into all this?"

"None of us can get in," The Commander stated. "Argos has a lot of people with him . . . the hostiles outnumber the hostages. Every possible entrance to the 14th floor is being watched; stairs, elevators, windows, doors, air vents, service and storage rooms, the roof. They've hacked into the camera system, so they have eyes everywhere in that building, from the basement to the parking garage, to the roof. The only possible way in, undetected, is through a ventilation shaft that connects the building to the outside down in the sewers."

Levi's nose wrinkled in disgust. "Let me guess. The shaft is too small for any of you to fit into."

"Yeah. I already tried," Static said. "But it was a no-go. I'm told you can hide your wings, so they won't be in the way. Is that true?"

"It is."

"Listen. I'm afraid that because of security being so high and the large number of hostages, you'll be entirely on your own in there," The Commander added.

"I get it, Commander. Stop the hostiles. Keep the hostages alive. Bring Argos to you, alive."

"That's right," The Commander confirmed. "Codex, show him the map of the ventilation shaft."

* * *

_Shitty Eyebrows. Shitty Four Eyes. Shitty Scouts for getting me into this! I mean, yeah, I probably would have gotten involved anyway, but that's beside the point. Damn filthy, smelly vent! Even I barely fit in here! Wouldn't you know it's gonna come out in a filthy bathroom that probably hasn't been cleaned in weeks. _Levi continued to grumble mentally to himself as he made his way painstakingly up the narrow ventilation shaft. It was a very tight fit, making even chimney climbing impossible, especially since he needed to be completely quiet. He'd had to resort to using his tough claws and powerful grip to carefully puncture the vent walls and climb slowly up the vertical shaft to the 14th floor.

Two hours later, he finally came to the bathroom that Codex had marked on the building's blueprints. After carefully dismantling the fan, he lowered himself to the floor below. _Gross! The floor's sticky! I'll have to sanitize my boots after this!_ There were a few beeps just outside the bathroom door. Levi disappeared into a stall, locked the door and crouched on the toilet seat just as someone entered the room. _Wow. Really? They need a pass code to enter a bathroom? Talk about security overkill._

"I hope Digit breaks the firewalls soon," spoke a woman's voice. "The coffee in this office is good, but there's no food! I'm starving."

Levi rolled his eyes. _Of course, Codex sent me to the girl's room!_

"I know, right?" a second woman agreed. "I could really go for some Chinese right about now!"

Levi's traitorous stomach growled at the mention of food. To his relief, both girls burst out laughing, each thinking it was the other.

"I don't get why Argos doesn't just let us kill everyone now instead of waiting until after we get the data."

"Seriously! This seems like an awful lot of show for such a job. But, at least I get to practice a few new techniques. I wanna take out that cute freckled girl and the little blond angel. They'll look so pretty painted in blood!"

"The programmer's kid, the one with the cute face and tiny freckles . . . Marco, is it? He's mine. I still haven't decided if I wanna cut him in half lengthwise or cross wise."

"Why not both? Drawn and quartered!" Both girls laughed.

_Holy shit, these two are sick! Hope you two enjoyed your bathroom break, cuz taking a shit is the last thing you'll ever do!_

He slipped out of the stall and waited. The first girl to emerge from her stall probably never truly knew what happened to her, since he grabbed her from behind, hand over her mouth and drove his dagger deep into the nape of her neck, severing the spinal cord and killing her instantly. _Be thankful I don't believe in slow, painful deaths like you do._ The second girl met the same fate. He placed each body in a stall, head down in the toilet to prevent the blood from getting all over the floor, cleaned up the blood that was already on the floor, locked the stalls, then listened at the door.

He could hear someone breathing, and it sounded like they were close; a guard. _This is gonna take for fucking ever! Trouble is there are security camera's everywhere so getting out of here unnoticed is impossible. Killing the power grid won't work, because they would immediately begin killing hostages and the generator would kick in within 10 seconds. I need to find Argos and Digit, take them out of the equation, then force a confrontation with the rest of the hostiles. Commander said all of the hostages are in the conference hall. Maybe that's where I should start. I can use the air vents to get there, then find out how many guards there are. Having the hostages in one location means that once I take out the guards, then they'll be easier to protect. We can block all the exits but one which will force the hostiles through a single narrow point of entry, making them easy to pick off. Most of Brigade can use firearms and are good in a fight, so they can use the guards' weapons to protect themselves leaving me free to take out the rest of the hostiles and get to Argos and Digit. _

Levi removed the grating from the overhead air vent quietly and pulled himself up inside. He replaced the grate and moved in the direction he knew the conference hall to be in. From the overhead vent, he could easily see all of the large hall below him. There were about 50 Brigade employees along with about a dozen or so civilians. He spotted Nile Dawk among them. _Good. At least there's one person here I know I can count on._ He counted exactly seven guards, all armed with a SIG516 assault rifle and two Sig Sauer P320 handguns each. _Twenty-one firearms with extra ammo . . . that should be plenty to defend the room with. Nile will know which exits to block. Looks like this will be the easy part. Gotta make it fast._

He drew and cocked his Remington and practically exploded down into the conference hall. Seven shots rang out in rapid succession and all seven guards dropped dead. "QUICKLY! TAKE THEIR GUNS AND BLOCK ALL THE EXITS!" Levi shouted at the stunned hostages, knowing that because of the security cameras, Titan was now aware of his presence. Nile Dawk, a tall, dark haired man with dark eyes and a scraggly beard on his chin, was the first to move, snapping orders to the others. Heavy, fireproof security doors were locked from the inside and barricaded to boot. Guns were distributed, and everyone gathered on the floor in front of the raised podium, twenty rows of chairs between them and the main doors.

"Man are we glad to see you," Nile greeted Levi.

"Is everyone here and are you all okay?"

"Yeah, everyone is here. A few scrapes and bruises, but nothing serious," Nile replied. "You're not gonna believe this, but Argos is leading this operation!"

"I know. They have Digit with them and are trying to hack the database."

"We can't let that happen," Nile stated. "If that information gets taken, thousands of lives will be in immediate danger!"

"It's not going to happen," Levi assured him. "I won't let it. First, how many hostiles are there?"

Nile shook his head. "After these seven, 56."

"54," Levi countered. "Killed 2 when I first got in. I don't suppose any of you still has a phone on them?"

"No," Nile answered. "They took all our devices away."

A boy, perhaps 12, with dark hair, eyes and freckles raised his hand. "Um, sir? I have a micro phone. It's my own invention. Looks like an ordinary mechanical watch, so they didn't take it."

_That kid must be related to Daniel Bodt. He's a spitting image. _"Perfect. I need you to call Codex. Their number is 822-762-7782. Tell them that the hostages are secure and to move in exactly 15 minutes from now. Second, which door to this room is the easiest to protect?"

"The door at the back of the stage. It has a narrow hall and would make entry without getting shot by one of us difficult," one of the men answered.

"Lastly, I'm assuming that both Digit and Argos would be in the main server room. Where is that?"

"I'll take you there," Nile said. "And before you tell me I'm needed here to protect everyone, there are still twenty guys and gals with guns that are the best of the best in here. I won't make enough difference here to say so. I can do more good if I have your back."

"Alright," Levi conceded. "Kid, make that call now. Let's get going, Dawk. We have 15 minutes before all hell breaks loose."

The hostiles all knew that someone was attacking and had gotten to their hostages, but they were all at the main conference hall doors trying to break in. The heat-proof, bullet-proof, blast-proof doors were proving to be a bit of a challenge. The result being that Levi and Nile were able to slip out the back and make their way to the server room with little resistance at first. But someone must have alerted the others to the presence of a Super, because all too soon, a group of 15 descended on the two.

The firefight landed them in a stalemate. "Hold your fire, Nile. No sense in wasting bullets. Since they won't come to us, I'll go to them. Wait here and watch our backs."

Nile nodded in acknowledgement and turned to face the opposite direction from the gunfire. Levi activated the phase inverter and brought his wings into view. Keeping them in front of him as a shield, he charged down the hall towards their attackers. The hallway was not wide enough to fully open his wings, so when he got parallel to the gunmen, he spread his wings as wide as he could and went into a fast spin, basically knocking everyone along the walls to the floor in a daze. Levi then pulled two of his daggers, and in under a minute, all fifteen attackers were dead, their spinal cords severed.

"The server room is just around the corner. How do you plan to take down Argos?" Nile asked, glad he'd been watching the opposite direction so as not to witness the massacre.

"The room has a fire suppression system, right?"

"Yeah . . ."

"The kind that depressurizes the room and sucks all the air out?"

"Yeah . . ."

"Can we activate it from outside?"

"I see. Yeah, from the control room next door. There's a two-minute delay, though, to give people time to get out before it activates."

"I think I can override that. I may not have Codex's tech prowess, but I'm not such a shabby hacker myself."

They entered the control room, and Levi activated the server room's fire suppression system, bypassing the two-minute delay. Levi rushed back out into the hall to wait. He could hear a firefight occurring somewhere on the floor and knew that the 15 minutes was up, and the Scouts were in. As he'd expected, the door to the server room blew outwards, and Argos, carrying Digit, stumbled out, gasping for air.

"You know, I used to look up to you," Levi told the man.

Argos looked at him, still huffing for air as he put the hacker down on the floor. He was a big man, at least as big as The Commander. He was powerfully built, even at more than sixty years of age. He had short, black hair, grey at the temples and the base of the skull and light blue eyes with crows' feet at the corners. He wore no costume, no mask. He was dressed in simple jeans, a light blue polo shirt under a tan V-neck sweater and sneakers. "Who are you?"

"Just an asshole that got pestered into stopping you from getting Brigade's database."

Argos laughed, a hearty, genuine sound. "You're brutally honest. I like that. So, you figured out what we're really after."

Levi rolled his eyes and Nile responded. "Considering what we do here at Brigade, it's really quite obvious, even if you did take the money."

"Your people are all dead or in custody," Levi told the other Super. "There are other Supers already in the building. I don't suppose you'd make this easy and just come quietly?"

Argos laughed again. "Wow! How many times have I asked villains that same exact question? It's actually funny to hear it being asked of me now."

Levi rolled his eyes again. "Is that a yes, or a no?"

"You're a bit of a pipsqueak, but I know better than to judge people on appearances. I'm kinda curious as to what you can do. So, let's do this the hard way," Argos replied with a disarmingly friendly smile.

Levi rolled his eyes yet again. "Suit yourself." He charged in at remarkable speed, landing a punch to Argos' ribcage, before pulling back just as fast. He repeated this attack method several times, hitting a different spot each time, having almost no effect on Argos. _It's like hitting a brick wall! He may be psychokinetic, but he can easily protect himself at close range. Let's see just how hard a hit he can take._

"Is that seriously the best you can do?" Argos asked him.

The answer was a powerful kick to his gut, making the mountain of a man stumble back a few steps and knocking the wind from his lungs. Levi snorted. "Tch! I'm well aware that you are studying me for patterns and weaknesses even as I'm testing you for the same."

"I'm impressed," Argos admitted. "Most Supers, heroes and villains alike, are over-confident in their abilities and attack blindly. I've seen many people lose battles for that reason. Whoever taught you, taught you well."

"Shorty! Behind you!" Nile shouted in warning as he fired a couple of shots at Argos.

Levi ducked in time to avoid getting hit by a file cabinet sailing down the hallway. It fell to the floor with a loud crash. He grunted in pain as a bullet entered his shoulder. He barely evaded the second. Argos had stopped Nile's bullets mid air and redirected them at Levi. "NILE! GET OUT OF HERE! YOU'LL BE KILLED IF YOU STAY!"

As much as he hated to abandon his friend, he knew that Levi was right. Worse still, he could accidentally kill Levi. He turned and fled.

Levi leapt back just in time to avoid being grabbed by Argos. His hearing told him that someone, or rather some**_thing_** was rapidly approaching around the corner behind Argos. The villain was caught off guard by what raced around the corner and backhanded him into the wall with enough force to send him through it.

Even Levi was a little taken aback by what he saw. The creature was huge; it barely fit in the wide hallway. It seemed to be a quadruped, but also seemed human-like. The legs were shorter than the arms, and the fingers and toes were all tipped with dark claws. The eyes were large and dark with no white to be seen, and the wide mouth was full of sharp, conical teeth. Longish, greasy dark hair hung from it's head, but it was otherwise naked. "Careful. He's psychokinetic," Levi warned the creature, sensing it was an ally.

It nodded in acknowledgement.

"Ohoho! Now it's getting interesting," Argos said as he climbed through the hole in the wall back out into the hallway. Chunks of metal, concrete and gypsum debris from the broken wall hovered in the air around him. He sent the debris flying out in both directions down the hallway at both Levi and the unknown creature. Levi shielded himself with his wings, and the creature protected its head with its arms and barely grunted as the debris struck its body. Where the skin broke, steam rose as the wounds instantly healed themselves.

Levi charged in to attack but feinted at the last moment when he noticed Argos shifting his balance to counterattack. Argos's punch met with open air, setting him off balance. Levi and the creature attacked simultaneously; Levi landing a powerful kick to Argos' gut and the creature landing a double fisted blow between the shoulder blades.

The villain fell to his knees with a grunt. "Nicely done," he complimented them. "But not good enough."

The air around Argos began to crackle, tiny sparks of gold flickering around him. The sparks grew in intensity and brightness until there was a brilliant flash from which Levi shielded his eyes while Argos let out a scream of pained surprise.

"Was that good enough for you?" A tiny spitfire of a girl, smaller than Levi, came around the corner and stood beside the creature. She had beautiful blond hair pulled back in a simple pony tail and impossibly large, crystal blue eyes. She wore a light blue costume that included a short, sheer skirt about the waist and a silver filigree circlet about her head. Her mask looked like a pale blue butterfly and she carried a delicate silver scepter with a blue crystal at the end. She had a pair of shimmering blue butterfly wings on her back that seemed to be pure energy. "I really think you should apologize to all these poor people for traumatizing them so much just for some money."

The creature chuckled at her scolding. Levi raised an eyebrow. _That's a form of energy manipulation, similar to what Beringer uses. Perfect! _/**Hey, Butterfly girl. Can you manipulate energy in a specific part of a human brain if you need to?**/ he asked her telepathically.

The girl looked surprised at the voice in her head but nodded in response.

/**Good. This guy is psychokinetic, so if you can fry the lower left cubic centimeter of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, he'll lose his power.**/

The girl's eyes widened. /**That's . . . oddly specific.** **How do you know that'll work?**/

/**I don't. But he does, so that's all I need to know. Can you do it?**/

She gave a scowling grin. /**You bet I can!**/

"Hey, big, dark and ugly! Let's hit him again while he's stunned!" Levi told the creature, who nodded. They both attacked and pinned the still dazed man to the floor. The blond girl placed her scepter to the left of Argos' forehead. The only way Levi knew she'd done anything was jolt of the man's body combined with a panicked yelp.

Panic quickly gave way to rage, and Argos threw both Levi and the creature off of him and leapt to his feet. "What have you done to me, you little bitch?" he bellowed as he strode towards her. He never got an answer and never reached her, because a powerful roundhouse kick to the left side of his forehead from Levi knocked him out.

The creature suddenly looked up and grunted as it heard footsteps running towards them. "Right," the girl responded. "Let's get out of here."

Levi didn't bother stopping them as he turned to see The Commander, Bloodhound, Codex and Static come around the corner. "Sure took you guys long enough," he told them.

The Commander looked at Argos and Digit. "Are they . . ."

"Alive. Out cold, but alive," Levi clarified.

Codex immediately entered the server room. They looked relieved when they came back out a moment later. "We got to them in time. Digit hadn't gotten through the last firewall yet. The database is safe."

"Since I had to do all the hard work here, I'll leave you four to clean up the mess," Levi told them over his shoulder as he walked away.

* * *

A few blocks way, on the roof of an apartment tower, Levi landed and checked on the bullet wound in his shoulder. _I suppose I should count myself lucky that this is the worst I got. Good thing that butterfly girl showed up. Damned if I know how Eyebrows planned on holding a psychokinetic in custody. At least that's not a problem anymore. _He inhaled a sharp hiss through his teeth as he probed the wound. _Damn it. Looks like I'll have to see Beringer to get this slug out of me._

"Are you okay?" a sweet voice asked.

"I'll live," Levi growled, knowing it was the butterfly girl behind him. He heard the creature land on the rooftop after climbing the building. He turned just in time to see the creature evaporate, leaving a tall, dark haired girl in its place. He dark brown hair was pulled into a tight pony tail, and dark brown eyes regarded him from behind her simple black mask, much like his own. She wore a black leather jacket with chains and buckles and a matching pair of boots with blue jeans and a plain white t-shirt.

"Wow, that was some fight back there. That guy was crazy strong! Good thing you were there to tell us how to stop him," the brunette stated as she strode over to him and held out her hand. "I'm T-BAB, by the way. And this adorable little angel is Faerie."

"T-BAB?" Levi questioned as he surprised himself by accepting the woman's handshake.

"Yep!" she replied. "Totally Bad Ass Bitch!"

Levi decided in that moment that he liked this Super. "Huh. Not bad." He then looked at Faerie. "Deceptive name there. I'm guessing a lot of villains seriously underestimate you. Gives you quite an edge."

"It's true," Faerie confirmed. "Most crooks won't take me seriously, but their loss."

T-BAB burst out laughing. "Yeah! Literally!"

"I take it you two are a team."

"Yep!" T-BAB confirmed. "Albeit this is only the second week we've been on patrol. I mean, we're still pretty young. So, what's your name?"

_Ugh! I am so sick of people asking me that! _"Don't have one. Just call me Asshole like everyone else."

A loud snort followed by a roar of laughter echoed through the night. "You must be the short asshole that a few other Supers have warned us about! Rude, crude and all attitude! Knew there was a reason I liked you!" T-BAB laughed.

"BABs, that's not nice," Faerie chided.

A faint hint of a smile threatened to pull at Levi's lips. "Well, it's true."

The tiny girl facepalmed. "Anyway, we came up here to check if you're okay. Babs says you got shot. I can remove the bullet and close the wound for you."

_That's right. Her powers are similar to Beringer's. _He let her remove the bullet, and as soon as she had closed the wound, she pulled a dark chocolate bar from a small pack she carried on her belt. "Here. Eat this. It'll help you recover some of the energy you lost in the healing process. Go home and eat a good meal and get some sleep," she instructed.

"Geez. You sound like someone's mom," T-BAB teased.

"Thanks for the help. See you 'round," Levi told them as he spread his wings.

"Yeah. See ya 'round, Asshole!" T-BAB replied.

Levi actually smiled in spite of himself as he flew away. _She's the first person to take me seriously about my name. Kinda funny to hear someone actually call me that without meaning it._


	9. Chapter 9

EXPLOSIVE BREAKDOWN

The villain Levi was after went by the moniker of Bombastic. It was sickeningly appropriate for a Super that could cause anything to explode with a mere snap of his fingers. Worse was the fact that he could set a delay on the explosions, sometimes up to several minutes after he 'set' them. He had started off as a child with small things, like cans of soda or school books. But had eventually graduated to vandalism, cars and eventually abandoned buildings.

He had recently begun blowing up occupied buildings; usually businesses and small factories. Levi had learned from Kenny that the man had started life as Tobias Mercer. He'd been the eldest of three children and his parents had divorced when he was twelve. His father disappeared from his life, and his mother, busy with the younger siblings, paid little if any attention to him. His grades had fallen in school and he'd dropped out at fourteen. He ran away from home the same year and was now blowing up everything in sight and getting plenty of attention.

"Typical sob story," Levi grumbled. "But that's no excuse. He chose his own path, and now he's gonna have to pay for it. Three people died in that last explosion."

"Five," Kenny corrected. "One of the firefighters was killed trying to save them. And last night, Bombastic killed a Superhero named Ices."

"Not sure how to approach someone who can make anything explode from nothing. Most defenses are useless against something like that," Levi mused, more to himself that to Kenny.

"Don't know what to tell you, boy. Don't suppose you could get Faerie to fry his brain like she did with Argos?"

"Too risky. Doubt she'd get close enough before he blew her to bits. I thought about multiple people attacking him at once, but we'd still lose someone, and he can take out multiple targets at once. Damnit!"

"Maybe you oughta talk to that Codex fella you've told me about. Sounds like a pretty bright person to me," Kenny suggested.

Levi groaned. "I was really hoping to avoid having to work with the Scouts again on this . . . but as long as lives are at stake, I have no choice."

"Meh. They're probably working on the same problem anyway," Kenny added.

* * *

"It is a real conundrum," Codex agreed as they puzzled over the situation. "Even The Commander hasn't been able to come up with a plan; and he has a plan for **_everything_**!

"Obviously he doesn't have a plan for 'everything' then, does he?" Levi argued.

"Pfft! Technicality." They thought for several minutes, their brow furrowed in concentration. "You know. I've seen you use some low-level telekinesis as well as some magic . . . like that fire thing you do. Could you create a barrier of sorts to block his ability?"

"It'll take too long to learn to do that. Good idea for future reference, though." Then, as an afterthought, Levi added. "If you tell anyone I said that, I'll call you a liar."

Codex giggled. "Oh, I know you will." Then they gave an inhaled gasp. "I've got it!"

"Do tell."

"An explosion is essentially the rapid expansion of atoms away from each other. So, what would become dangerous as it expanded?"

"Everything is dangerous when it explodes," Levi deadpanned.

"I know, I know. I mean, what would hurt Bombastic if he blew it up?"

"Tear gas, mustard gas, halothane, neothyl, penthrane, fentanyl," Levi replied.

"Oooooo! Knockout gases! I'll try to get a hold of some fentanyl. It's kinda not entirely legal, but it's the most effective. The Commander should know how to get it."

"Don't worry about it," Levi told them. "I know someone who can get their hands on the stuff."

* * *

Levi's irritation just three nights later as he hunted for Bombastic was even more intense than usual. It had taken that long for Kenny to secure a large enough amount of Fentanyl for Levi to use. He left it encased in the capsule it had been delivered in. The idea was to throw the capsule at Bombastic, and when the Villain blew it up, he'd be shrouded in the gas and pass out.

His irritation mounted when he saw that the Scouts had found Bombastic before he did. The villain was standing on a rooftop, engaged in conversation with The Commander. Levi landed a short distance away, hidden in the shadows, listening to the conversation and hoping, but not really believing, that Erwin would be able to talk Bombastic into giving up. From his position, behind Erwin's position, he could look into Bombastic's eyes.

"Don't make me laugh, Blondie! You couldn't possibly know what it's like to be hated by everyone who meets you! My pa hated me so much he left the family and disappeared. Ma hated me, but she loved my younger brother and sister. My brother and sister hated me because Ma hated me. My teachers hated me for no reason at all! So, you know what? I hate everyone back. I give what I get!" Bombastic shouted. "They hate me and hurt me, so I hate them and hurt them. People like them don't deserve to live! The only way to get rid of hate is to get rid of everyone!"

_Gods, this guy is completely insane! The madness shows in his eyes. No remorse and no regard for human life. Erwin isn't gonna be talking this lunatic in. _As the villain raised his hand to snap his fingers, presumably to blow up The Commander, Levi stepped from the shadows. "Oh, boo-hoo. Your daddy left you and your mommy didn't give you enough attention, so you decided to get mad and take it out on the world instead of doing something to prove yourself a better person. You chose to be hateful and vindictive instead of kind and forgiving. Well, guess what? Other people have problems far worse than yours. Sorry, shit stain, but I can't bring myself to feel sorry for someone as pathetic as you."

A look of pure hate was on Bombastic's face as he snarled in blind fury at the small Super. "How dare you?" he growled menacingly.

"How dare I?" Levi repeated blandly. "My father got my mother killed and hated me so much that he tried to kill me when I tried saving his life. How's that for a tragic back-story? But you know what? I don't go around killing innocent people for no reason at all. You don't see me going around destroying what good people have worked so hard to build. I don't judge all people based on the actions of my father. Yeah, Dad was a piece of shit, but I won't let what he did to me dictate how I live my life. I won't let his actions ruin my life. I won't let him win. That is how I dare to judge you. I went through things worse than you, yet I chose not to let hate rule my life. You chose to let hate consume you. You chose to suffer. You're choice. Now you can deal with the consequences."

Bombastic let out an enraged cry and snapped his fingers. Levi couldn't explain what he did next, or even why he did it. As the villain began to snap his fingers, Levi's silver eyes glowed brightly, and he extended his right hand, palm out and an ornate, dark-blue circle formed in front of him. The energy of Bombastic's attack was visibly absorbed by the circle. _What was that? Did I do that? How? How did I even know how to?_

_Wait . . . his attack was deflected . . . so he's not just blowing things up out of nothing. He's transferring his energy into his target to cause it to explode. It doesn't matter. I need to get him to blow up this capsule, so he'll pass out, so I can kill him without getting blown up myself._ He jumped into the air and used his Thunder Shock. Bombastic countered with an explosion, the shockwaves essentially cancelling each other out. _Good. He'll counter any attack with an explosion._

The Commander, having been alerted three days ago by Codex that Levi intended to use knock-out gas to take down Bombastic, had retreated to a safe distance. Levi, still airborne, threw the canister of fentanyl at the insane villain. As expected it exploded, and the released gas surrounded Bombastic. "Don't kill him!" The Commander shouted.

Levi ignored the man and, holding his breath, swooped in and sliced the nape of Bombastic's neck, severing the spinal cord. Once out of range of the gas, he inhaled a deep breath. He hovered for a moment, looking back at the scene. His heart clenched as he saw Erwin looking up at him as if asking, '_why_?' The large blond flew up to him. Levi was just turning to fly away when all of the windows of the building across the road from where Bombastic now lay dead exploded outward in flames.

For a split second, Levi froze in horror, knowing that the building was a fully occupied apartment complex. He reflexively started towards the burning building to rescue survivors. He let out a surprised yelp when a pair of strong arms wrapped around him, stopping him. "LET GO OF ME!" he demanded.

"It's too late, Levi. There's nothing we can do." Erwin told him gently.

"GODDAMIT! LET ME GO!" Levi struggled against the hold, but he was no match for Erwin's brute strength.

"No one could have survived that. You'll only get yourself killed if you try to go in there."

The fight suddenly went out of him. "Let me go," he said weakly.

"Levi . . ." Erwin's hold shifted slightly, and Levi took the opportunity. He thrust his wings out, breaking The Commander's hold on him, and flew away, but not towards the burning building.

He continued to fly, at top speed, until he reached an abandoned bridge outside of the city. He landed in the middle and fell to his knees, his body trembling violently and tears running silently down his face. _All of those people! All of those poor people! Men, women, children, old, young . . . how could he? If only I'd gotten there sooner . . . before he set the explosions. If only I'd talked to Codex sooner and thought of the gas. All those innocent lives!_ He doubled over, arms wrapped around himself. He took in a long, deep breath, then released a long, primal scream echoing into the night. Once wasn't enough, so he unleashed the heart-rending cry a second time before he started heaving. His empty stomach revolted against him, turning in violent knots as it ejected the nothingness from within.

Erwin had arrived just in time to hear him scream and then try to vomit. He said nothing as he landed beside the smaller Super and began to gently rub his back. "That wasn't your fault, you know," Erwin eventually told him.

Levi remained on his knees, eyes downcast and trying to catch his breath. "I know. Really, I do. I just . . . Logically, I know it's not my fault all those people . . . died . . . but a part of me still blames myself anyways. It keeps saying, 'what if' and 'if only'."

"You don't seem to deal with death very well, do you?" Erwin asked. "And yet you can kill villains so easily . . . or rather, it looks that way. This is third time I've seen you try to vomit up your stomach after killing someone." Levi closed his eyes in shame as The Commander knelt beside him and continued gently. "Usually this only happens the first one or two times one human kills another, but this happens every time to you. So why do you do this? Why do this to yourself?"

He kept his eyes closed, refusing to look Erwin in the eye. "You know why."

"Yes. I do. But it's a terrible burden to carry."

"I suppose you wanted to 'talk' to that sicko," Levi assumed.

"No. I just don't like seeing what killing does to you."

Levi's eye snapped open and took a sharp intake of breath in surprise. There was confusion written all over his face as he finally looked at the other man. "Why?"

"Why?" Erwin echoed. "Why does one human being need a reason to care about another?"

He looked away again, his heart still breaking, and rapidly losing the ability to keep holding himself together. He closed his eyes tight, trying to maintain his crumbling protective walls. His trembling became worse. A choked sob escaped his throat, despite his best efforts to the contrary. Once that one sob escaped, more followed, and there was just no stopping the flood now. He doubled over again, sobbing uncontrollably while Erwin just knelt quietly beside him, rubbing his back and shoulders.

Levi hated that The Commander was witness to his breakdown. He hated showing his weakness to anyone. At the same time, he was grateful to have someone offering comfort without lying and telling him that everything was okay. Just having an understanding someone present was comfort enough.

When he finally ran out of tears, his stomach still in knots and now his head throbbing, he stood on shaky legs and prepared to fly away. Before he took flight, though never looking back at The Commander, he said quietly, "Thank you."


	10. Chapter 10

UNEXPECTED REUNION

The Commander found Levi in his usual spot, high atop Mitras' tallest skyscraper. "Hello, Levi," he greeted.

"What do you want, Eyebrows?" Levi asked dryly. _How the fuck did he find out my name?!_

"Not interested in how I know your name?"

Deciding there was no point in denying it was his name, he responded, "Am I supposed to care? So, you know my name. Yippy fucking skippy."

The blond chuckled. "Guess I was expecting a response like that. The Prophet wants to speak with you. She asked me to bring you to Tinninvale Sanctuary."

"Number one; why would The Prophet want to see someone like me, and, number two; what makes you think I'd go with you to see her?"

"Obviously I can't force you to, but I was hoping you would come with me. She doesn't ask to see someone unless it's very important. I suppose I should ask if you even know who The Prophet is."

Levi glared at the blond over his shoulder. "I'm not stupid. Everyone knows of The Prophet. She can see future, or rather, possible futures. She keeps herself hidden in Tinninvale; a place no one can locate unless she wills it so. Villains would love to get ahold of her, and heroes respect her. I am neither hero nor villain, so I just don't care."

The Commander sighed and changed tactics. "I know you don't trust me, Levi, but I do trust you. I'll prove it to you now. My real name is Erwin Smith. I know your name, so it's only fair you know mine."

"Huh," was Levi's only response as he glanced curiously over his shoulder at Erwin.

"It's a long flight to Tinninvale. I'd rather travel there under the cover of dark. Will you come with me?"

"What does she want to see us about?"

"You. She wants to see you. I am just to lead you there and then leave. And I don't know what she wants."

Levi frowned as he looked out over the city. Curiosity got the better of him. "Fine. Lead the way."

* * *

Erwin was right. It was along flight. They flew low to the ground, barely above the treetops, so as to stay off radar. It was a moonless night, but Levi's faintly glowing silver eyes were well adapted to low light. It seemed that Erwin could see just fine in the dark as well. It was about two hours before dawn when they turned into a steep, narrow valley between mountains. Erwin led them up a fast-moving river.

Levi felt the barrier when they passed through it. Lights that had been invisible before, near the end of the ravine, were now clearly visible, golden, warm and inviting. They belonged to a massive white building with several smaller outlying structures. It was ornate and looked like something out of a J.R.R. Tolkein novel. Waterfalls spilled over the ledges in multiple places along both sides of the ravine, including one from right under the main building.

"Can I expect to be greeted by an elven king?" Levi asked as they landed on the massive veranda overlooking the entire vale.

Erwin chuckled. "Wouldn't surprise me. It is a beautiful place, though."

A short woman with light reddish-brown hair and hazel eyes came out to greet them. "Good morning, gentlemen. The prophet thanks you for bringing Levi to visit us, Commander. Would you like some food or drink before you return to Mitras?"

"No, thank you, Petra. I'll be starting back now. I'd rather be far from here when the sun rises," Erwin replied. "I'll see you back in Mitras, Levi." The blond took to the air and flew opposite to the way they'd flown in by.

"Please follow me," Petra requested. She led him into the building, which was bright, open and airy.

A woman, with long black hair in a loose braid was back to them, arranging something at a table at the far end of the room. "Thank you, Petra. That'll be all for now."

"Yes, Prophet." Petra bowed, though the woman didn't see her, and left the room.

_That voice, _Levi thought. _It sounds so familiar . . . but where have I heard it before?_

The woman paused for a moment, before finally turning to face him. A warm smile filled with joy formed and her silvery-blue eyes shimmered with tears. "Levi."

Levi's eyes widened in shock. He swore his heart skipped a beat. "Mama?"

A tear slipped down her face as she opened her arms to him. He reacted without even thinking, rushing into her arms and hugging her like he was afraid she'd disappear. "Are you real?" he asked.

"Yes, Levi. I'm real. And I'm here." There were a few moments of silence before she continued. "I'm so sorry for not being there, Levi. There is so much I need to tell you."

"I don't care," Levi replied, not letting go. "I'm just glad you're alive."

They held each other in their embrace for several more minutes before finally pulling back. Levi hadn't even realized he was crying until his mother placed her hands on either side of his face and wiped the tears away with her thumbs. "Come. Let us sit and talk," she told him. "I have tea and sandwiches in the sitting room. You must be famished after your long flight."

Levi nodded as his mother lead him into a small room with massive windows on either side; one looking out over the still dark valley with the other looking back to the even darker forested slope. A fire crackled in the fireplace and the room was lit in a soft, golden light. At the center of the room, five plush, light-grey chairs surrounded a round coffee table. On the table was an ornate silver tray with a steaming pot of tea and two cups along with two small plates and there were several platters with a variety of sandwiches cut into triangular quarters.

His mother poured them both some tea. "Kenny kept his promise to me. I knew he would."

Levi took a sip of his tea and sighed in pleasure at the flavor. "He did. He's like a father to me. He even let's me use his last name; Ackerman. Mom, what happened that night? All I really remember is you telling me to never forget that you love me."

She gave a sad smile. "Your father betrayed us. But then, you found that out a few years ago. I am so sorry about that, Levi. It was a horrible way to learn."

"He's dead. Kenny killed him before he could put a bullet in my head. He was working with Harbinger." Levi's voice was devoid of emotion.

"I know, sweetheart. I found out about his betrayal a few days before those men came for us." The woman sighed, wondering how to tell her tale. "I knew what Jerome was. I knew what he really did for a living. I can see the future, but not always just one future. With Jerome, I saw a couple of futures that we remained happy together. I took a chance, because in every future I saw with him, happy or sad, you were in it. You are very important to the future of this world, Levi. I had to take a chance with Jerome."

"At first, our life was indeed very happy. However, I had a vision of your father being approached by someone from a group called Titan. They told him what we really are and told him they needed our DNA for their experiments. You see, Levi, we are not human. You are half human, because of your father, but I am a T'varian. I know this is going to be hard to believe, but T'varians are not native to this world. I was but a baby when my family was stranded here."

Levi shifted his wings behind them. "So that's why I have these wings, the claws, the enhanced vision and hearing . . . because I'm an alien? Well isn't that just the most cliché Superhero stereotype!" He shook his head in disbelief and facepalmed. "So where are your wings?"

Deeper sadness filled her eyes. "I lost them that night."

Levi's eyes widened again. "What?!" It came out as an incredulous whisper.

"As I'd mentioned, I'd had a vision of Jerome talking with the man from Titan. They gave him a huge sum of money to disappear and change his identity if he'd let them take us," she continued. "He even told them about the safe-room behind the closet. Luckily, I also had a vision of Kenny. I knew he would raise you right, in my stead. I couldn't let Titan get ahold of you or me. I sent the message to Kenny about the disk that Jerome had on Opecorp's shady business practices. I knew he would come to get it. I even told him about our safe-room, knowing he would use it when Titan broke into the house."

"After Kenny took you, they broke into the safe-room. A couple of the men were Supers, and it was a hard fight. For a moment I thought I was going to lose and they would take me alive. They cut off my wings, so I couldn't fly away. In my anguish and blind rage, I killed every last one of them using only my claws to rip them apart." Tears ran down her lovely face as she spoke, but the last part was spoken with the rage she still felt toward those men. "I set the house on fire. I needed to make sure none of the bodies could be identified. I have many, very resourceful friends that covered up what really happened, so that according to the world, you and I never existed. It was the only way I could guarantee your safety."

"A very kind doctor and his wife saved my life that night. Once I recovered, I retreated to this valley, refurbished the lodge, with help from my friends, and created a magic barrier that protects this place from view, be it from technology such as satellites, or the human eye. You met one of my friends already; Petra. Her husband, Oluo, her sister Amanda along with Ilse, Nifa, Ness, Gaelan, and most recently, Carla all helped erase you and I from all records as well as helped me to rebuild this lodge, protect Tinninvale and perform general day to day tasks. I don't know what I'd do without them."

"Fortunately, Jerome never knew I was The Prophet, so I have been able to continue to work as such. I work with Super heroes to help them in their fight as well as alerting them to impending trouble. That is how I know your friend, Erwin."

"He's not my friend," Levi said quickly. "Sure, I work with him and his Scouts from time to time, but that doesn't make us friends."

His mother smiled sadly. _Her smile is always so sad, _he thought.

"I can see that this is your father and Harbinger's doing. You lost the two people dearest to your heart. You were also betrayed by the one person you had once loved and trusted with all your heart – the one person who should have protected you. I know it's hard for you to trust again, or risk that kind of heartbreak again, but you cannot close your heart off like this. If you do, it will ruin your ability to save this world when you are needed most. Though you don't consider him a friend in your mind, your heart still does. And, more importantly, Erwin considers you a friend. He trusts you, cares about you and worries about you. I'm sure you can sense it in his thoughts."

"I don't use my telepathy like that," Levi told her. "It's too intrusive; an invasion of privacy. I wouldn't want someone reading my mind, so I don't use it on others unless it's absolutely necessary. Even then, I usually only read surface emotions, not actual thoughts."

"I see. That is good. You have far more restraint than even I do. You've grown into such a fine young man. Kenny did well in raising you. I'm very proud of you."

Levi's brow furrowed in confusion. "How? I've become a monster. It's to slay the monsters that torment this world, but I'm a monster none the less."

His mother reached across the table and took a hold of his hand. "That's not true, Levi. You are a slayer of monsters, true, but you are far from being one yourself. I've watched you very closely over the years. I know that you cannot kill without being sick after. I know that every life you take rips out a piece of your own soul and breaks another piece from your already shattered heart. Even killing Harbinger, who destroyed thousands, killed your friends and hurt you so terribly, left you riddled with guilt. A monster, Levi? A monster would feel no remorse for killing. A monster feels no guilt when they bring pain or suffering to another. I know the tears you've shed when no one is around to see. I know how heavily the blood on your hands weighs you down. Human life means so much to you."

"I should have hated him. I should have hated Harbinger for what he did. I should have hated Dad for being so heartless . . . but . . ."

"But you're not capable of hate, Levi. It's an unspeakably rare but precious trait," his mother explained. "Even I do not possess such a gift."

"I'm sure that I'm more than capable of hate. The rage I feel when I hunt down those who torture, rape and kill is so overwhelming."

"There is a big difference between rage and hate. You feel anger and righteous rage towards those who commit crimes against humanity, but never hate," his mother countered. "This is why it tears you apart to take another's life. I think you will also find that your capacity to forgive those who've wronged you is far above average. You are so much stronger than you know."

"I guess," was all Levi could think of to reply with. He wasn't at all sure as to what he should be feeling at the moment. He quietly sipped his tea for a few moments, trying to think what he wanted to ask his mother first. "What do you know about Titan?" he finally asked.

Her silver-blue eyes widened, and she burst out laughing. It was such a lovely, free sound. "I'm sorry, Levi. Of all the questions I expected you to ask, that was the last one I thought you'd ask first!" She calmed down a moment later. "I'm afraid I know too little about them. Unfortunately, my power does not always work on demand. I often get many possible futures. Every time I try to look into Titan, all I get are blurry, unreadable images. All I know is that they are incredibly dangerous and are doing or planning something that will do great harm to all people. Whatever it is they are doing, they truly believe they are doing good. This is how they have been conditioned to think. I cannot see who the leader is or what his or her true intentions are, but that person pulling Titan's strings definitely does not have humanity's best interests at heart. It's entirely possible that whoever it is pulling the strings has the ability to block all psychic abilities."

"I suppose old Eyebrows already asked you that anyway, though, didn't he?"

"He did."

"Can you see the past as well?"

"Sometimes. But I've tried that already. Titan's leader is very determined to keep their secrets. There may be magic involved."

Levi's brow furrowed, thinking back to his fight with Bombastic. "Is that a normal T'varian trait . . . magic?"

"No, Levi. Magic is something that is linked to the soul, not the body."

"Okay, but doesn't using it require training? I used it in a fight a couple of weeks ago. I created an energy barrier to shield myself, but I don't know how I knew how to do it, or even how I thought to do it in the first place."

"Your soul remembers. One thing I knew the first time I held you in my arms was that you are a very old soul. You have lived so many lifetimes on many worlds. Many of the traits you have in each life are linked to your soul; magic, kindness, inability to hate, your wings even. In your soul, you've always known how to use magic. It is this memory you draw upon when you need it most."

Levi thought about that for a moment before another random question popped into his head. "I don't even know your name."

The woman cracked up laughing again. "That's right. You were so young. You only knew me as Mama back then. My name is Kuchel. It means midnight in the T'varian language."

"So, what does my name mean in T'varian?"

"Your name is not T'varian. Levi is a Hebrew word for joined or pledged. You see, Levi, you are a warrior of God. You are a one of a kind soul pledged to fight the evils in this universe. You and your soul mate incarnate where ever and when ever you are needed most to protect the innocent."

Levi wasn't sure how to respond to this revelation. "That's . . . a lot to take in."

Kuchel giggled. "Try not to over think it."

Levi sighed. "So why now? Why wait until now to let me know you're still alive?"

"Because soon you will need this place. Soon you will need my guidance. It is better that you learn about me now while we have time."

"I see . . . I guess. Honestly, right now I'm just glad you're alive."

The sun was high in the sky before they finally retired for a bit of sleep. They spent the next week getting reacquainted with each other. He explored the valley with his mother. He realized that Tinninvale was a prison for her; a beautiful prison, but a prison no the less. She could not leave the safety of the barrier without risking detection. Too many enemies, especially Titan, would like to get their hands on her.

For Kuchel's part, she was grateful that her son was not angry with her for not being there as he grew up and for waiting so long to tell him she was even alive. He was just grateful to have her in his life now, and after what had happened with his father, he refused to waste precious time with anger or resentment. Levi understood that she had her reasons and that her actions protected not only herself, but him as well.


	11. Chapter 11

As he approached Mitras on his long flight back from Tinninvale, he could see a battle taking place over Somerset Park. _What the fuck is going on now? In broad daylight no less!_ "Tch!" _Guess I'd better go see if I can do something. _He soon could make out The Commander, Codex, Static and Bloodhound fighting against about seven unknown hostiles in powered glider suits.

At first, he couldn't make out what the fight was about, but soon realized that there were a lot of innocent people still in the park. _Shit! The Craftsman's Fair! But why attack that? Unless they wanted to use the citizens as hostages to get the heroes to hold back. _Then he spotted the real reason. A tall, handsome, middle-aged woman surrounded by guards. _Senator Kathryn Mays . . . she's the one pushing for that law reestablishing capital punishment in this country._ One of the hostiles attempted dive in and grab her but was foiled by Codex.

Levi went straight for the hostile as they climbed back into the sky. He drew two of his daggers, one held blade out and the other held blade back. At the last second, he folded his wings back and went into a dizzying spin, daggers held out on either side of him, effectively creating a spinning saw blade. He struck the hostile, blades cutting through the fuel and air lines of the glider suit and destroying the engine. The hostile began to fall from the sky with a frightened yelp. _Still can't tell if they're a male or a female. What ever they are, they shriek like a girl._ He caught a hold of them before they hit the ground and dumped them in the large pond.

"BEHIND YOU!" he heard The Commander yell.

He'd already heard the hostile's approach and went into another death spin, slicing through the fasteners that held the glider suit together and the man fell out and into the pond with his cohort while the now unmanned glider suit went skipping across the water in a disastrous tumble. _Two down, five to go. Make that four. Nice going, Codex. _

A woman's scream pierced the air. Levi immediately thought that the senator had been grabbed, but what he saw was the young intern that had been with her. One of the hostiles was racing into the sky with the terrified girl in their grasp. The Commander was already headed for her, but he was too far away. Levi was closer. With a powerful thrust of his wings he went up after them. Unfortunately, the hostile was not paying attention to what was going on around them. They didn't see the incoming 737 airliner that was making its final approach to the airport.

Levi managed to get to them in time to knock them out of the flight path, but he himself was unable to get out of the way. The plane's left wing impacted the middle of his back, dislocating the right wing's shoulder joint. He was flipped up over the wing and then hit by the tail, which dislocated the right wing's elbow joint.

He didn't have time to recover from his daze as the girl again screamed. The hostile had dropped her when Levi had knocked them out of the plane's flight path. Ignoring the pain radiating out from his wing and the fuzziness clouding his mind and vision, Levi reflexively dove after her. She saw him coming and reached out her hand to him. He could feel her overwhelming relief when he caught her in his arms and opened his wings. He let out a grunt of pain as the right wing protested. He shifted his shoulder blades to lock the wings open. He saw The Commander approaching. "Commander! Grab her! My wing's broken."

Levi let go of the woman and The Commander caught her immediately. Levi, unable to flap his broken wing, had no other choice but to attempt a gliding landing on the pond. He could see Codex running along the shore yelling something to him. He ignored them as he brought his feet down. _I'm coming in too fast. I can't slow down, and I can't get any altitude. This isn't going to end well. _As soon as his feet touched the surface of the pond, he went into a frightening roll, skipping like an uneven stone tumbling across the pond's surface before finally coming to rest in a tangle of cattails at the edge of the water.

He groaned loudly and made a futile attempt to push himself up. He saw Codex running towards him, but he couldn't hear what they were saying. His vision blurred as they fell to their knees by his head. He was only vaguely aware of their hands checking him over, but soon felt nothing at all as darkness took him.

* * *

Levi ever so slowly became aware that someone was stroking his hair. It took him several minutes just to figure out what the strange sensation was. It took several minutes more for him to realize he was in a bed and in a fair amount of pain. A few minutes later, he became aware of someone speaking to him. "C'mon, sweetie. Wake up. You can do it." The last thing his foggy mind could remember was flying back to Mitras from Tinninvale after reuniting with his mother. _Was that all just a dream?_ "C'mon my adorable little box-of-grumps, you can do it. Don't wanna sleep your life away, do you?" _Wait . . . that sounds like Codex. What are they doing here? Wait a sec . . . where is here? _

He slowly opened his eyes. The lighting was, mercifully, dim. He shifted his eyes to the left and saw Codex grinning down at him while they ran their fingers soothingly through his hair. "Hey there. Welcome back to the world of the living," they greeted.

"Wha . . ." His voice cracked, question cut off by his parched throat.

"Hold on a sec, hon. I'll get you some water."

While they were away, he took in his surroundings. He was in a regular bed, not a hospital one. The room was very large and looked like it was part of a warehouse or factory with brick walls, large windows with black, light blocking curtains and exposed ductwork. There were plain nightstands on either side of the king-sized bed, each with a lamp on them. He noticed an IV bag hanging from a sconce lamp above the bed that was attached to his arm. He also noted that there were oxygen tubes in his nose that were attached to a tank beside the bed.

Before he could take in anymore, Codex returned from the sink across the room with a glass of water and a straw. They helped him sit up and drink. "Thank you," he said now that he could finally talk. "What the hell happened and where am I?"

"Well, you were hit by a Boeing 737, saved a girl's life and then made a very bad landing on Somerset Lake," they explained. "That was one hell of a tumble you took! It's a wonder you didn't break your neck! Frankly, I'm impressed that all you have is a dislocated shoulder and elbow on the right wing and a sprained, bruised ankle. You look like shit, by the way; all purple and yellow and green. Yech!"

"Thanks a lot," Levi groaned sarcastically. "I seem to remember a fight over Somerset Park. Who were those bozos? Did you know what they wanted?"

Codex frowned. "They were lackeys of Enigma. Senator Mays was once a Federal Judge, and she was the one that sent Enigma away for life at Marshland Maximum Security Women's Prison. I'm guessing that they were out for revenge. You see, Enigma was murdered by a fellow inmate about a week ago. The inmate in question had lost their entire family to her, so they wanted revenge. The seven we faced two days ago likely blamed the senator for Enigma's death because she sent their boss to the prison where she was killed." Codex sighed. "One act of retribution breeds another, and another, and another. The cycle never seems to end."

Both were quiet for a moment. "Wait. I've been out for two days?"

"Yep! I reset your joints and wrapped your wing. You'll be able to fly in a few more days, considering how fast you heal. If I dislocate my joints, it'll be at least a month before I'm healed! Anyway, I guess we can take out the IV and take you off the oxygen now." As Codex leaned over to remove the oxygen tubes from under his nose, Levi noticed they weren't wearing their goggles.

"Where's your goggles?"

"Hm? Oh. Erwin thought that since we're seeing you without your mask that it's only fair that you should see us without ours," they explained. "It's a trust thing. By the way, my name is Hange Zoe. Erwin told me you know his name now and that you know Mike's as well."

"I'm Levi."

"No last name?"

Levi shook his head. "Legally speaking, I don't exist."

Hange's eyes widened. "Woooow! That's so cool!"

Levi rolled his eyes. "You **_would_** think that." He then yawned. "So where am I now?"

"Scout headquarters. Erwin sometimes uses this 'apartment' when he doesn't feel like going home or if he doesn't have time to before going to his day job." Their eyes widened as Levi yawned again. "I know you just woke up and all, but I think you should go back to sleep. I'll be downstairs if you need anything. Just take that cool looking freight elevator over there."

Levi only grunted in reply as he closed his eyes and fell almost immediately asleep.

* * *

Levi was alone the next time he awoke. He groaned as he sat up and looked around. He spotted a door in the far corner of the room and hoped it was a bathroom. He wrinkled his nose as he limped in, noting the mess it was in. The important parts looked somewhat clean – no where near up to his standards, of course – but there were towels tossed haphazardly on the counter, over the towel bars and even on the floor. There was dust in all of the corners, soap scum on the shower glass, steaks on the mirror and dusty cobwebs all around the ceiling. He was almost afraid to lift the toilet cover. To his relief, the toilet, at least, looked clean; no stains, drips or hairs visible.

He relieved himself quickly, washed his hands and dried them on the legs of the oversized pajama bottoms he was in. At this point, he shuddered, wondering if the borrowed pants were clean and whose they were. If the bathroom condition was any indication, he had serious doubts about the cleanliness of the clothing he was currently wearing.

He found his own clothes tossed over the back of a chair near the bed. He looked them over and gave a tentative sniff. Deeming them clean enough, seeing as someone had at least **_tried_** to wash them, he pulled them on, folding the borrowed clothes neatly before placing them on the same chair. He carefully made the bed. It was a slow process due to pain, but he was determined to make it perfect.

The sounds of people talking drifted up through the elevator shaft from the floor below. He went over and pushed the button to summon the elevator. It was an open car with an accordion gate protecting the open shaft, and a fancy grate lift gate on both the front and back of the elevator car. It was old, but sturdy. Once it reached the floor below, he discovered that he had to exit via the opposite side from where he'd entered.

He stepped out into a room that was as large as the one he'd just left. On the far end was a long counter and lots of shelves loaded with equipment, computers and chemistry supplies. A couple of tall stools for sitting were between the counter and a long table that held even more equipment and scattered piles of paper. Levi had no doubt that this area belonged to Hange.

To his left, in front of the wall of one-way windows overlooking the alley below and brick building across the way, was a large L shaped desk with one chair in front of a computer and two other chairs on the other side of the L. Papers were in neat stacks and all of the equipment was organized. Levi guessed this was Erwin's space. In the center of the room was a seating area with a couple of large sectional sofas, four lounge chairs and a huge coffee table.

Finally, directly in front of him was another long wood table with ten chairs around it where he found Erwin, Mike, Static and Hange sitting around one end talking, all without their masks. They all looked up as he limped over to the table. He flopped down in a chair next to Hange. Just his little bit of activity left him worn out. "I guess I owe you four some thanks."

Erwin smiled. "Not at all. It is you who deserves the thanks. We were having a really hard time with those men until you showed up. Thanks to you, no civilians were hurt."

"Oo-oo-oo!" Hange suddenly jumped up and ran to grab a laptop from their messy area. "You finally have a name!"

"Yeah. It's Levi. I've always had it."

"No, no, no! I mean a Super Hero name! And it's a really cool one too!"

"No."

"But you already have it."

"No."

"It's really cool!"

"No. Your names are always lame."

"Ah, but **_I_** didn't come up with this one. Have a look-see." They opened a file on their laptop and a news cast from two nights ago played. It showed the intern Levi had caught mid-air and saved after he'd been hit by the 737.

"I was terrified. I could see the jet coming straight for us, but the guy who'd grabbed me didn't see it and he wasn't listening to me. But this guy with big black wings knocks us out of the way at the last second and gets hit by the plane instead. I thought he was dead for sure. Next thing I know is that I'm falling. I thought sure I was gonna die! Then this same guy with the wings comes swooping down like some raven knight and catches me!"

The clip cut to the male reporter. "So, there you have it, folks. Senator Katlyn Mays' intern rescued by Mitras' newest Super Hero, Raven Knight. Back to you, Jen."

Levi groaned, and face palmed. "Great. Now the whole goddamned city is gonna be calling me that."

"Whaaat? I think it's wicked cool!" Hange protested.

"I'm **_not_** a hero, damn it!"

Mike looked confused. "How can you say that?"

Levi looked at the man like he had five heads. "What planet have you been living on, Sniffy?"

"Same one as you," he replied. "You've saved literally thousands of innocent lives. You may try to act like you don't care, but you're not fooling anyone. Okay, so you're an asshole; I'll agree with that, but that doesn't change the fact that you selflessly risk your life and your sanity every day to protect everyone else. I think that more than qualifies you as a hero." It was the longest speech either Levi or Hange had ever heard from Mike. The man rarely spoke unless he felt it important.

"He's right," Erwin agreed. "You do the unthinkable to spare others the suffering caused by it. You make the tough decisions and take the consequences of those decisions so no one else will have to. You try to shoulder the burden of protecting everyone all by yourself. You don't have to. You're not the only one who wants to protect others. Let other's help you shoulder those burdens. Let **_us_** help you shoulder the burden. Join the Scouting Regiment. You already work with us most of the time anyway. You'll have access to our resources and you'll always have backup."

"I'm not joining your little band of boy scouts," Levi instantly answered, eyes cold and voice dripping with venom. "I don't mind using you people when it suits my purposes to do so, but I have my own resources and I work alone. I answer to no one and no one answers to me. No attachment; no responsibility. I don't care what you or anyone else thinks. I am **_NOT _**a hero. Never have been; never will be."

Erwin regarded him sadly. "I'm sorry you feel that way. The invitation is always open. We could really use someone with your strength and skill on our team."

Levi snorted derisively. "Don't hold your breath."

"Well, you're welcome to stay here anyways until your healed enough to fly," Erwin said.

"Fine. I'll be out of your hair first thing in the morning." The man stood and limped back over to the elevator, worn out by the entire conversation.

* * *

The following morning, as the sun was cresting the horizon, Levi took the elevator down to the next floor, then found a door opposite the windows that led down a hallway. Halfway down the hall was a set of stairs leading to the ground floor. The stairs doubled back on themselves halfway down and came out across from a door to the outside. He inhaled a pained hiss through his teeth as he limped down the stairs. He strongly suspected that the solid, heavy steel door was alarmed, but he didn't care. He stepped out into the alley and walked away. He came out to a street and realized he was very near one of Kenny's apartments.

It still took him nearly an hour to limp the ten-block distance to the apartment, then to get in unseen without being able to fly to the roof. He snuck in a back entrance and hobbled up the stairs and slipped into the sixth-floor apartment. It was small, but clean and serviceable. He went straight to the kitchenette and filled a kettle with water to boil for tea. He took out his phone and sent a text to Kenny to let the man know he was using the apartment for a few days.

Once his tea was made, he sank down onto the sofa with an exhausted sigh. He woke up three hours later to a cup of cold tea. He growled softly, downed the tea in one go, then decided to shower and just go to bed.

As he left the bathroom after showering, dressed in black jersey pants and a black t-shirt and a towel around his neck, he heard footsteps approaching the apartment door. He wasn't alarmed. His sensitive ears recognized the long strides of his father-figure. "Hey," he greeted the man when he entered.

"Hey, Levi. How you feelin'? Saw what happened on the news. Where've you been? Been trying to locate you for the past three days!" Kenny had a lot of bags with him that he set on the small two seat table in the kitchenette.

"Sorry. The Scouts took me in. I'd say, 'any landing you can walk away from', but I clearly did not walk away from that one. Only dislocated a couple of wing joints and sprained an ankle. Nothing serious. Just can't fly for a few days."

Kenny sighed. He'd begun taking food and drink out of the bags and putting it away in the refrigerator and cupboards. "That's a relief. Brought you some food and stuff for while you're here. Anything else you need?"

"No. This is more than enough. Thanks."

"If you change your mind, just give me a call. Okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

"So, what'd The Prophet want with you?" Kenny asked as he sat down on the sofa, popping open a bottle of water to drink. "Or can't you tell me?"

"I think maybe it was nothing more than a meet and greet. She wasn't able to really tell my anything about Titan other than the fact that they are extremely dangerous and need to be stopped," Levi replied. Then after a few moments silence, "She told me my mother's name. It was Kuchel."

Kenny looked up in surprise. "That's kinda funny. My grandmother was named Kuchel. Not a common name, you know?"

"So, what do you know about Titan?" Levi asked him.

"The Prophet's right. They are dangerous. Based on multiple sources, they are a global criminal organization. They have their grubby little fingers in damn near everything; narcotics, weapons, extortion, laundering, human trafficking, assassination, black market. Thing is, those activities seem to be nothing more than a means to an end. There's rumors of Titan using those activities to fund some kind of biological and/or genetic research – on humans. A lot of scientists have disappeared without a trace over the past year or so, and there is a strong possibility that there are even more that are working willingly for Titan. Thing is, Titan is really good at covering their tracks. We don't know just how far their organization reached or even how many Super Villains and government agencies might be working for them. It's basically a case of not trusting anyone. I'm willing to bet I have Titan operatives in my own syndicate, but I have no way of knowing who. Damn scary group, Titan is."

Levi frowned. "Shit."

"Yeah."

"No wonder Commander is so anxious to recruit people for the Scouts. He's made it his mission to take down Titan. But if they're as big and widespread as you say they are, that may be impossible. I don't suppose you know who's leading them?"

"Sorry, kid. No clue. I'm not sure anyone does. Not even the majority of people in Titan. Whoever it is has an almost cult-like hold on people. I'm told that those who follow Titan willingly believe that what they are doing is for the good of humanity, but none of them will say what it is they are doing. So far, every Titan operative ever captured has either committed suicide or escaped without giving any useful information of any kind." Kenny shook his head. "Frustrating as hell."

* * *

Life returned to normal. Levi tried to avoid the Scouting Regiment like the plague, albeit Hange was not easy to ignore. They made a point of seeking him out and garnering either his help or just his company. One quiet night found them atop Levi's favorite skyscraper, engaged in an unusual conversation.

"So, what do you have against people knowing what sex or even gender you are?" Levi asked them out of the blue.

"Well, I've found over the years that people tend to judge each other based on perceived gender. Even now, in the 21st century, people are still less likely to take a gender female seriously. Gender males are expected to be aggressive and argumentative and stubborn. I don't like fitting into either of those molds, so I dropped the whole gender thing completely. I find it prevents people from making stereotype assumptions about me," they explained. "What about you? How do you view gender roles?"

"Couldn't care less. We're all human. That's all that matters," Levi replied. "Sex and gender have nothing to do with it."

"Hmm. I'm guessing you're pansexual, then."

Levi shrugged. "I guess so. Giving pleasure to another is not about gender. I don't care if my partner is male, female, trans, top, bottom or both. It's just sex, after all."

Hange absolutely loved how openly blunt the small raven was. "So, you've had sex with both men and women?"

"Yeah. What of it?"

"Nothing. I'm just curious is all. You don't really strike me as the sexual type."

Levi rolled his eyes. "Looks and attitude aside, I'm still a normal, healthy adult male with a normal, healthy adult male sex drive and a normal, healthy adult male appreciation for the human form. How'd we get on the topic of sex anyway?"

"You started it!"

"Fuck . . . I did."

"I'll bet you're smokin' hot under those loose jeans and t-shirt."

"Fuck you!"

"Well that's a fine response to my compliment," Hange laughingly retorted with mock indignance. "I'd still really love to play with that ass of yours someday."

Levi growled softly in response. "I'm done with this conversation." There were a few moments of silence. "But I'm not totally against the idea." He then flew away, not giving Hange a chance to answer back.


	12. Chapter 12

EXTORTION

"We have a problem," Kenny stated as he stood on the roof of one of his operations bases.

"When don't you have a problem?" Levi asked snarkly.

"Brat," Kenny replied fondly. "There's a syndicate coming up from Stohess tonight with a gun shipment. They're looking to set up operations here in Mitras. Their leader is a fellow named Rod Reiss. Have to really watch out for that fellow. Human life doesn't mean shit to him. Thing is, he's gained the support of Ian's syndicate and there's strong evidence that the two'll be merging under Reiss. Needless to say, I can't let Reiss get a stronghold in this city. It'll be a thousand times harder to protect the people in my territory. With Reiss in charge, they might actually be too strong for us, so I need to stop them now. And if I get a nice shipment of guns to boot, well that's just icing on the cake."

Levi shook his head. "That's nothing particularly new. Why're you telling me?"

"Reiss has a Super with him. Guy by the name of Pillager."

Now the raven just rolled his eyes. "Where do these idiots come up with their lame-ass names?"

"Probably the same place you got yours, Raven Knight," Kenny teased.

Levi groaned in response. "Don't remind me. So, what's Pill's power?"

"Water manipulation."

"Shit." _That's not good. _"Please tell me ice is not included in that."

"'Fraid so, boy."

_Double shit! Water is easily the most powerful force on earth. It shapes the landscape and breaks rock. _"How good is he with it?"

"He can drown people without any visible source of water around. Just uses naturally occurring moisture in the air. Can do it real fast, too."

_Triple shit! How am I supposed to counter that? May have to go straight for the killing Thunder Shock. _

It was well past midnight when Kenny's men, hidden in the buildings and alley's around the meeting place near the river docks saw a group of eight vans led by a limousine approach Ian and his waiting gang. Rod Reiss stepped out of the limo at the front of the caravan. He was a small, round faced man with impossibly big eyes and a thinning moustache.

Behind him, another man, average height, slender and with short, spikey, electric-blue hair got out. Everything about the kid was spikey. His hair, the earrings in his lobes, the collar around his throat and around his wrists. He had black eyeliner around his vibrant blue eyes and black lipstick on. His clothing was a ripped black t-shirt, ripped black jeans and black combat boots. _What a fucking cliché looking punk. Looks fresh out of high school . . . or even still _**in**_ school._

Levi detected something at the edge of his mind. _Figures those four would be here. Don't tell me Reiss has something to do with Titan! _/**Kenny, the Scouts are here. Tell your men to watch their step!**/ Levi told Kenny telepathically.

/**Will do. Thanks, boy.**/

He watched as Reiss and Ian shook hands and greeted each other with false platitudes and fake smiles. _Given half a chance, those two wouldn't hesitate to stab the other in the back._

The men went to the back of one of the vans and opened it. Inside were cases, each filled to capacity with a wide variety of military issue guns and ammunition. _Holy shit! There's enough in just that one van to start a small war! Just what are these asshole's planning?_ Suddenly, one of the men who'd been standing by Ian and staring openly at Pillager, started to choke. Within seconds, water began coming out his mouth and nose. The man soon collapsed to the pavement, dead.

"Pillager, we discussed this," Reiss chided.

Pillager just shrugged. "I didn't like the way he was looking at me."

Not even Ian seemed very disturbed by the sudden, unprovoked death of one of his men.

As Reiss' men got out of the vans and Ian's men went to take over, Kenny's people struck. In the chaos, Levi swooped down off his perch and went straight for Pillager. _Don't waste time fooling around with this fucker. Doing so will mean people dying like last time with Bombastic._ Chances were that Pillager never knew what hit him. As soon as he was close enough, Levi's jet-black wings snapped forward and the result was almost as spectacular as when he'd hit Harbinger. Some of Kenny's men had already driven off with four of the vans, but the firefight continued. Ian took a bullet through the heart.

Kenny's men suddenly backed off. The Commander, Bloodhound, Static and Codex showed up on the scene. Reiss' and Ian's men scattered in all directions. Reiss himself had left in his limo the instant the fight had begun.

Levi left the scene as well, his job done. Kenny had gotten only half the guns, but that was more than enough. As he flew off in the direction Kenny had gone, he stopped on a rooftop when he began to wretch. Luckily, he'd not eaten anything today, knowing that his purpose tonight was to kill a Super villain. It took him a couple minutes to catch his breath and continue on.

A few blocks away he spotted Kenny atop an apartment building in a fighting stance facing The Commander. The Commander was more than a little surprised when Levi suddenly landed between him and Kenny and snarled, "Back off, Commander."

"This man is Kenneth Ackerman. He's the leader of this city's largest crime syndicate," Erwin explained calmly.

"I'm aware of that. He's also the reason that Reiss won't be getting a foothold in Mitras. He's the reason the small business district is so prosperous now. He's the reason all of the citizens and business owners live and work free from extortion and gang violence. He's also the best source of information on criminal activity in this city. I won't let you take him in," Levi challenged.

There was no mistaking the surprise on Erwin's masked face. "So, you're protecting him? I see. You never cease to amaze me, Raven Knight."

"Don't call me that."

Erwin ignored him, seeing the opportunity he'd been waiting for. "I'll make a deal with you. I'll leave Ackerman and his syndicate alone if you will join the Scouting Regiment. I'll even let him keep the guns he took tonight."

"What?" Levi snarled in venomous fury.

"Join the Scouts, Raven Knight. Help us take down Titan and protect Mitras. My only condition is that you not kill anyone. If you don't join, I will turn Ackerman over to the police. With the list of crimes currently attributed to him, he would never see the outside of a prison again."

Levi's growl was threatening. "You bastard. This is extortion."

Erwin's face remained expressionless. "True, but I will use any leverage I can get. I need your strength."

Levi glared at the blond furiously. "You fucking bastard."

"You already work with us much of the time anyway. Now our resources will be combined. Lend me your strength, Raven Knight, and let us lend you ours. Let your strength cover our weaknesses and our strength cover yours. This arrangement will benefit all of us. You see, not only will we turn a blind eye to Kenny's criminal activity; we will also protect him as you do and support him in protecting the people in his territory. There really isn't a downside to you joining us."

Levi's glare never wavered. _That arrogant blond bastard! I hate when he's right!_ "Fine," he snarled. "I'll join the Scouts."

"Excellent. Come by headquarters in the morning and we'll get you orientated and set up with a uniform and equipment." With that, The Commander flew away.

"I hate to admit it," Kenny started. "But the blond fucker's right. You already work with them quite a bit, and if you're gonna end up going against Titan, the more backup you have, the better."

"Yeah. I know. Doesn't mean I have to like it. I don't like working with my hands tied."

* * *

Levi was still fuming when he arrived at Scout headquarters just before sunup. Hange was waiting for him in the shadows by the alleyway door. They let out an excited squeal and threw their arms around him and spun him around. "I'm so happy! Now we get to work together."

"We already work together, you idiot," Levi bit back breathlessly.

"Yeah, but this is different. It's better! We get to share the same workspace and see each other every day!" they gushed as they released him.

Levi rolled his eyes as he followed them inside. Hange indicated the only door in the hallway before stairs and elevator at the end. "That's the locker room. There's a shower and workout room and firing range and laundry and mini kitchen and sofa in there. There's a separate room in there for treatment of injuries and such." They led him to the stairs. "Downstairs are the holding cells and interrogation rooms. And you already know what's upstairs. Let's go."

As they entered the common room at the top of the stairs, Hange immediately pointed out doors on either side of the freight elevator Levi had used a few weeks ago. "The one on the left is the kitchen. We often have dinner and/or breakfast here. The one on the right is a bathroom. Upstairs is the apartment and storeroom. So that's Scout headquarters."

Mike approached them with his hand extended out to Levi. "Welcome to the team."

"Thrilled," Levi said dryly.

Mike lowered his hand and chuckled. "Erwin said you might be a little testy about it. Either way, I'm glad you joined us."

"Frankly, I'm not so sure this short, dark and scary asshole is worth it," Static commented as she came in from the kitchen. In spite of her acid words she offered him her hand. "My name's Nanaba, by the way. I'm Mike's wife."

Levi actually accepted her hand. "You must have a thing for big noses," he stated flatly.

"I think it's his best feature . . . well, second best. The man's hung like a horse," Nanaba responded.

Mike turned dark red in an instant and mumbled, "Nana, please!"

Levi decided in that moment that he liked Nanaba.

"Ah, Levi. Glad you could make it," Erwin greeted as he came out of the bathroom, dressed in a business suit.

"Can the pleasantries, Eyebrows. We all know you blackmailed me into this," Levi snapped.

"I think you'll find that it's not so bad working with us," Erwin stated seriously. "Working with a team of people you can trust has considerable advantages. You'll find that you are far more effective with a varied team to back you up. Our strengths will compensate for your weaknesses and vice versa."

"I fail to see why you would want a monster like me on your team," Levi argued. "Why would you ever trust someone like me?"

"Because your single purpose in life is to protect others. You've become a monster to protect the innocent from even more terrifying monsters. All of us have done the same. Regardless of my beliefs on killing, Levi, my hands are no less stained with blood than yours. Working with us, you'll gain self control and reach your full potential as a protector of humanity. You'll become even stronger than you already are."

_I really hate that this smug bastard is right._ "Fine. Whatever. I've had a long night and need some sleep, so if that's all, I'll be going."

"Just a moment, Levi. I have a few things for you." Erwin went to a door beside entrance. It turned out to be a closet. The blond returned with a bag and a uniform.

Levi glared at the black costume that he was certain would leave no part of his physique to the imagination; the others' costumes sure as hell didn't. On the left breast of the costume was a pentagonal grey shield with a pair of stylized wings over it; a white wing overlapping a dark blue wing. Identical insignia were on the costumes of the other four. The back had slits to allow his wings through and there was an equipment belt that was in much better condition than the frayed one Levi currently wore. There was even a holster for his gun. The boots were black and went all the way up to the knees. In the bag was a communication ear piece, a laptop computer, a phone, a fake driver's license, three credit cards and . . . "Is that a freaking chocolate kiss?!"

"That was my idea," Hange sang.

Levi groaned. "What a weirdo," he mumbled under his breath. "Well, if that's all, I'll be going now. See you tonight." He left no room for argument as he walked out the door.

Erwin watched out the window to make sure Levi had left the building, then turned to Hange. "Are you sure you haven't been able to find a residence or identification for him?"

"Nope. He just doesn't exist. I thought maybe he stayed at one of Kenny Ackerman's many homes throughout the city, but he doesn't seem to. No driver's license, no credit cards, no bank accounts, no fingerprints, no aliases that I can find; it's like he's a figment of our imagination."

"There's a mangled Super in the downtown morgue that proves he's not a figment of anyone's imagination," Erwin countered. "A very unusual attack."

"I call it a Pressure Bomb," Hange announced. "He's using a highly compressed sonic shockwave combined with what seems to be a gravity well to keep the shockwave localized to crush the target. It's quite remarkable, really. I've seen him use a less powerful version I like to call Thunder Shock."

Mike and Erwin just shook their heads at Hange, and Nanaba returned to the kitchen, knowing there was no stopping the tide of scientific excitement now spilling from Hange's mouth.

* * *

As promised, Levi showed up that evening. He complained about how ridiculous he looked in the costume and "wasn't indecent exposure illegal" and he that was "unaware that the Super Hero business was all about kinky sex fetishes". In spite of all his fussing, the suit was comfortable, and he mentally admitted to himself that he looked totally hot in it. _At least my wings cover my ass, but I'll have to wrap my wings around me if I suddenly pop an awkward boner while out there. I may look hot in this, but that doesn't mean I want to be seen in public like this!_

The scouts did possess a car, a rather ordinary looking dark blue Chrysler Town and Country mini van. While it looked ordinary on the outside, inside was a whole other story. Hange'd had great fun retrofitting the vehicle. It had a powerful V8 engine with a nitro-booster installed. The tires were slash proof and bullet proof. The glass and body of the van were the same. It could withstand a rocket or a grenade explosion. It had countless sensors that detected weather conditions, temperature, infrared and ultraviolet light as well as X-ray and electromagnetic fields. It had both defensive and offensive weapons, including flares and an electric discharge that would stun any people in contact with the outside of the vehicle. It was its own traveling Wi-Fi hot spot, with satellite and cellular communication abilities and had security codes and firewalls that were even tougher than the Brigade's.

Levi's, "Not bad," was high praise and Hange knew he was impressed. They took his car and added a number of extra features to it as well. The unassuming little grey Kia Soul had extra weight added to the undercarriage to lower the center of gravity and reduce rollover risk. It received the same chemical bonding that made the van knife, bullet and explosion proof. Many of the same sensors were added. The windshield now had an infrared matrix that would allow him to drive at night with the headlights off and still see where he was going. Like the van, the windows could be blacked out, so no one could see in. Hange also added a secure Wi-Fi hot spot and satellite communications system and a more powerful, though compact V6 engine with 4-wheel drive on demand.

In all honesty, Levi had to admit that life didn't really change much now that he was 'officially' a member of the Scouting Regiment. One advantage he really liked was that he no longer had to use the local YMCA to work out and get a shower. He just worked out and showered every morning in the locker room at Scout headquarters before returning to his little corner of an abandoned warehouse to sleep. One morning, however, he discovered he'd been followed. _Damned smug bastard, _Levi thought.

"Is this really where you live, Levi?" Erwin asked in disbelief as he walked across the open space towards him.

"Yeah. So? What's it to you?" Levi snapped defensively. "And what gives you the right to go nosing into my personal business anyway, hmm?"

"I worry about you."

"Why?"

"I always worry about my friends."

"We're not friends, Erwin. Now what are you doing here? Those bank robbers last night were tougher than usual. Not to mention every seedy scumbag and their uncle was out last night. I'm tired and I'd like to get some sleep if it's all the same to you."

"I'm sorry you feel that way. Regardless of how you feel about me, I consider you my friend. As such I worry about you. You don't seem to have any life at all beyond sleeping and crime fighting; no home, no day job, no identification other than the fake one I gave you. You don't even use the credit cards I gave you."

Levi watched the blond, no expression to indicate what, if anything, he was feeling. "Those are for work. So far, my job with the scouts has not required me to used them. As for a day job, my job is protecting the people of this city and it usually requires me to work at night. You are standing in my home right now. And, I don't exist, therefore do not require identification. Makes life a damn sight easier if you ask me."

"This place is hardly a suitable home for anyone except rats and cockroaches," Erwin stated. Levi wrinkled is nose in disgust at the comment, but Erwin continued, "and it's far from safe. I don't imagine you sleep very well here, seeing as you need to remain alert at all times to possible intruders . . . such as myself before you say it. The apartment above headquarters, it's yours if you want it. The facility is secure since only handprint and retinal scans allow anyone to access it. You would be safe, warm and I should think you'd sleep far better than you do here. Perhaps, with time, you'd lose those dark shadows under your eyes. Furthermore, the fridge in the kitchen downstairs is always stocked and there's a kitchenette in the apartment, so you'd probably eat better. I don't see evidence of any food around here, so I imagine you never eat here."

"Grocery stores throw out perfectly good food every day. It's easy enough to come by. It's called being a Freegan. Lots of people do it."

Erwin shook his head, a bemused smile on his face. "Indeed. You just don't seem the type. You're not happy unless headquarters is spotless, so you taking disposed of food comes as something of a surprise to me. Use the apartment over headquarters. I'll feel better if you do."

"As I recall, you use it for when you don't have time to go home before your day job."

"Rarely. I can use the sofa bed in the locker room or one of the sofa's in the common room just as easily. Take the apartment, Levi."

Silver eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What do you get out of it?"

Erwin grinned. "One less worry."

* * *

He wouldn't admit it out loud but having the apartment right above headquarters was beyond convenient and he did sleep better, knowing that the place was secure. Of course, he'd spent the entire first day scrubbing the place from top to bottom, not satisfied until not one speck of dirt or dust could be found. The following day found him cleaning and organizing the storeroom on the other side of the elevator. When teased about how much he liked cleaning, he scoffed and said that "like" had nothing to do with it. "I work every night out in a shitty, filthy city with shitty, filthy criminals. It's a shitty, filthy job that's surrounded by blood and sweat and God only knows what else. I refuse to live in filth too."

Unlike the others, who worked late at night, but when home to sleep a few hours before daylight, Levi worked the entire night and slept during the day. While Levi slept, Hange worked as a computer sciences and chemistry professor at the university. Erwin was a very successful businessman who'd inherited a massive stock portfolio (_"How fucking cliché," Levi told him_). Mike worked at the local brewery. He was one of the top 'cooks' in the plant. He was in charge of quality control and development of new recipes. Nanaba worked at a local music store and gave violin lessons.

Levi, being as organized as he was, kept headquarters clean and organized as well as keeping track of things they needed to stock up on as they ran out. He often found himself in the unenviable position of doing the shopping with Hange, the most disorganized and excitable person alive. He also found himself frequently teamed up with Hange on the job. He couldn't figure out why he even found them as tolerable as he did, but they did work well together.

One afternoon found Levi and Hange alone at headquarters. Hange was trying to identify a mysterious black powder they'd found during a drug bust, and Levi was just lounging on one of the sofa's working on something for Erwin on his laptop.

Hange's frustrated "Aargh!" filled the large room.

"When was the last time you slept?" Levi asked. "Between grading final exams, staking out the drug dealer's lab and updating headquarters' security, you haven't even eaten, never mind slept. Suppose I should be grateful you take a shower at the end of every night."

They whined pitifully as they tried to drink from their coffee cup only to find it empty. "I don't know. I think I picked up a couple of hours yesterday evening before going out. And now my coffee's broken."

"And you've been working nonstop since. That's more than 24 hours with only 2 hours sleep beforehand. No wonder you're having trouble identifying that stuff. You need to take a break. Relax. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I care or anything, but my ass is on the line if I think you have my back out there and you've fallen asleep."

"You know you love me," Hange retorted.

Levi shook his head, an unconcealed smirk on his lips. Hange was the only person to see him drop his guard at all. "I have an idea. We've both been stressed out and frustrated lately. I seem to recall you once telling me you'd enjoy playing with my ass sometime, and quite honestly, I could go for playing with someone's ass right about now too. What do you say?"

Bold as their words had been back then, they hesitated now. "But you don't even know what sex I am."

"Who cares? Both sexes have asses," Levi countered. "I told you before that I don't care what sex or gender a person is. It's just sex."

"So, you won't be disappointed if I turn out to be a guy?"

"Nope. These idiotic costumes of ours don't conceal much, so I already know you've got a nice ass."

Hange smiled as if genuinely touched. "Aw! Thank you! That's the nicest compliment I've ever received!"

Levi raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? No one's ever told you what a nice ass you have?"

"Nope. You're the first."

Levi shook his head in disbelief. "So, what do you say; shall we go blow off some steam together?"

Hange got that devious look they so often got when they became too excited over an experiment. "Oh, this is gonna be fun!"


	13. Chapter 13

Levi led them up to his apartment, locked the elevator up there and locked both stairs' doors so no one (namely Erwin) would interrupt them at an awkward moment. "So, you wanna top, or bottom?" he asked.

"I don't know. This is my first time doing this."

Levi froze. "Wait . . . you've never had sex before?"

"Is that a problem?" they asked in disappointment.

"No. But I need to be sure you really want this. I know it's just sex, but one should be absolutely sure before they just give their virginity away. I just need to be sure you're okay with giving your virginity to someone like me."

Hange laughed. "Oh, is that all? C'mon, Levi. You're my best friend and I trust you. Who better to spend my first time with?"

Levi was stunned. He didn't know how to react. _I'm their best friend? I have a best friend? How did that happen? _"Alright then, this is how it's gonna go. You are in control. Just think of this as one of your experiments. You have my permission to explore my body as you will, on the condition that you don't use any sharp instruments." Their eyes widened as he opened up a draw beside the bed and took out several objects. "These bottles here are lubrication. They are used to reduce, if not eliminate painful friction during penetration, whether it's a male or a female being penetrated."

Hange sat on the bed, lotus style, rapt attention on Levi, the objects he was showing and the lesson he was giving them. They looked for all the world like a school kid. "These," he held up a box. "are condoms. NEVER have sex without them. I don't care if you are doing the penetrating or the one being penetrated; these things are the only thing between you and countless stds. The only people who shouldn't use condoms are women who are trying to get pregnant."

He moved on to several longish wands of metal, acrylic, gel and glass – all with handles at one end and rounded at the other. Some had a ball at the end, some smooth, others with rounded bumps on them. There was a multi-strip flogger, a leather paddle and what looked like a riding crop. "These are toys. These wands are actually dildos for penetration and stroking the sweet spot inside your partner. These . . . um . . . whips, are for . . . um . . . spanking. Some people get a kick out of being spanked."

Hange found the pink tint forming on Levi's face to be very amusing. "So, um, like I said, you're in control," Levi concluded. "Tell me what you want me to do."

"Strip," they told him without any hesitation or shyness.

Levi smirked and slowly unbuttoned his tan shirt while they bit their lower lip and bounced impatiently on the bed. "Good things come to those who wait," Levi teased as he rolled his shoulders and let the shirt slip to the floor and pool at his heels. They were surprised to see a few tattoos on him. On his right forearm, just above the wrist, was a black tattoo of a forest and a flock of black birds flying up from the treetops. It was beautifully shaded and done by someone with incredible talent. On his upper right breast was a black phoenix rising from the flames.

He then slowly unbuttoned his jeans, followed by even more slowly unzipping them. He was enjoying the wide-eyed look on Hange's face as they watched with growing anticipation.

Just to be an ass, instead of removing his pants, he bent over to remove his sneakers and socks; slowly. They squeaked in frustration. Levi let out a soft chuckle at their impatience and continued his show. _Doing a strip tease is fun. _They were practically drooling as he finally lowered his jeans and stepped out of them. He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his briefs.

"Wait. Let me," Hange told him.

He smirked but removed his thumbs and let them approach. Hange knelt in front of him, licked their lips, then hooked their fingers in the waistband and slowly pulled the briefs down his muscular legs. They're eyes widened at what they saw. They'd seen pictures of the male phallus before, but that was nothing compared to seeing one fully erect right in front of one's face.

Levi had already granted them permission to use his body as they pleased, so they tentatively reached up and touched the tip, eliciting a sharp inhale from its owner. They glanced up at him. His dilated eyes were watching them, his lips parted and already panting softly. Hange closed their hand around the shaft and ran their thumb lightly over the smooth tip a few times. They enjoyed watching him close his eyes, tilt his head back, take in a deep breath and let it out again in a soft moan.

"Do people really stick this in their mouth?" Hange asked as they unconsciously pumped his erection.

"Some do. I don't. I have a vicious gag reflex and the idea of putting something someone pisses from in my mouth doesn't appeal to me," Levi answered. "I don't eat ass either; for the same reason."

"Does it feel good when someone does it to you?"

"It does; I won't lie to you. I just can't do it to anyone myself."

"Then is it okay if I . . ."

"I told you, you can do anything you want to my body."

Hange licked their lips as they examined the erection before them. Still holding the shaft, they gave the tip a tentative lick. A shiver raced through Levi's body at the feathery touch. They scrutinized the tip a moment, as if analyzing the flavor. "Lightly salty, slightly tart, but with a hint of bitterness."

Levi cracked up laughing. "Can't say as I've heard anyone describe it like that before."

They gave him a devilish smirk before taking the entire head into their warm, wet mouth. Levi again closed his eyes and tilted his head back, sighing softly with pleasure. They swirled their tongue around the head a few times before pulling back. "From your reaction, I take it you like that."

Levi only hummed in response as they started to examine his now leaking erection more closely. He couldn't quite understand why, but something about having his naked body scrutinized by a fully clothed person was a huge turn-on.

Hange ran their fingers over the length of the erection, tracing veins, noting the color, appreciating the way it curved slightly upward. They squeezed it, noting the firmness of the flesh. They gently held his balls in their hand, weighing them, before giving the sacs a gentle squeeze. They noted the lust filled gaze with which Levi watched their explorations. They traced the fine line of course hairs that led from his belly button down to the shaft, and a matching nest of ebony hairs.

They then traced the V line of his hips to the groin, felt the firm muscles of his thighs and then his abdomen. He really was a magnificent specimen. They were surprised by how few scars he had. He seemed to be able to heal without scarring but for the most severe wounds. For the most part, his skin was satin smooth and taught over firm, well-defined muscles. He had a spectacular eight-pack etched into his abdomen, and clearly defined pecs, traps, biceps and triceps.

Standing up, Hange turned their curiosity to his chest. Not a hair to be found. Soft pink nipples stood out in contrast to his milky skin. They gently pinched the left one between thumb and forefinger and rolled it a few times, rewarded by a soft moan. "Didn't think a man's nipples would be so sensitive. Interesting." Then they leaned in a licked the rapidly hardening bud. A few more licks and sucks and they moved to the other, until both nipples stood hard and erect.

In spite of how surly and impatient the man normally sounded, the fact was that his patience was immense. Hange was now using this fact to their advantage as they stepped in behind him, running their hands over his shoulders, arms and powerfully muscled back. _I suppose it stands to reason that he'd have such powerful back and shoulder muscles. After all, he has those massive wings to power. Still, the muscle structure doesn't seem sufficient for the job. _They noticed two more tattoos. Down at the base of his spine, was a highly stylized lotus blossom. High up just below the nape of his neck was a raven with what looked like an arrow piercing it.

"What do all your tattoos mean?" The asked.

"The forest on my forearm is just because I feel most at home in the forest. The Phoenix is representative of myself. So too is the raven on my back and the lotus. Kenny has this saying about lotuses; 'Out of the deepest and darkest muck of life grows the most beautiful flower'."

Hange traced the outline of the raven on his back. "They are so sad and so empowering at the same time. You may be broken, but you always rise again. They're beautiful."

"Thanks."

_Now, back to business. I need a close look at this . . . absolutely GORGEOUS ass!_

They were again on their knees, taking in the two perfect, smooth, milky mounds that were Levi's ass. Hange licked their lips and reverently placed a hand on each globe and gave a tentative squeeze. The skin, like the rest of his body, was flawlessly smooth and satiny. The muscle beneath was firm, yet supple and just the right amount of pliable. A deep, quiet sigh resulting from multiple squeezes told Hange that Levi was enjoying it.

They spread the cheeks and found a small, pink, puckered opening within. They licked the tip of their finger and gently touched the opening, massaging it slowly. A visible shiver when through his body, and his smooth skin broke out in goose-pimples. They grinned, wet their thumb and continued to massage the opening while they kissed the cheeks in turn, occasionally nipping playfully. An inhaled hiss through his teeth indicated his immense pleasure.

They withdrew for a moment and just appreciated the view. _Hot damn, but he's perfect! People aren't kidding when they say great things come in small packages! _They could feel themselves becoming highly aroused, but they weren't done experimenting yet. Hange stood and pointed to the bed. "Face down, in the middle."

Levi complied, with smirk and a raised eyebrow. He had no idea what they were going to do next, but then, that was half the fun of this. He could easily sense their combined wonder, excitement and arousal without trying. He settled in the middle of the king-size bed on his belly, legs spread, and arms crossed beneath his head.

"So, which of these lubricants do you recommend?" Hange asked. "I think I wanna try out one of these toys out on you."

Levi's smirk intensified. "The blue bottle."

"Do I put it on the toy, or your hole?"

"Both."

"Um . . . won't it still hurt? That opening is awfully small."

Levi chuckled softly. "Like with a vagina, the anus requires preparation. Start of with a little lube on your index or middle finger and start the process with that. After you feel me loosen up a little, add a second finger, then a third. After that, lube up the toy and use that."

Hange took in a deep breath. They dropped a little lube on his opening, then spread some on their index finger. "Here goes nothing."

Levi didn't even flinch, as he exhaled all the way and relaxed his entire body, allowing Hange to insert their finger with no resistance. "Wow! It's so hot in there! And the walls are like fluttering velvet!" They moved their finger around inside him, feeling the walls and enjoying the level of trust Levi clearly had in them as he lay quietly and enjoyed what they were doing to him.

They eventually added their middle finger, and soon after their ring finger. "Does it usually go this quickly?"

"All depends on how relaxed the bottom is. I'm pretty relaxed right now and I trust you, so it's going faster than if I was stressed and uneasy about my partner," Levi explained.

Hange beamed at Levi's admission of trust. "Welp, prepare your anus . . ."

Levi groaned loudly and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You did **_not_** just say that."

Hange giggled. "I did." They selected a thick, clear, acrylic wand with a good handle and a simple ball on the end. They covered the ball in lube and then inserted it carefully through the ring of muscle. They moved it around inside of him, looking for something specific. "I've read, that if the prostate gland is stimulated via anal intercourse . . . thing is, the bugger is only about the size of a small walnut . . ."

Levi's body suddenly jolted slightly. "You found it," he gasped.

"Oh goodie," they exclaimed. Using the dildo, they began to stroke his prostate while they rubbed his ass with their free hand, kissing and nipping playfully at times. Levi just closed his eyes and let the waves of pleasure wash over him as Hange played. It felt wonderful. After several minutes, they finally pulled the wand out. "Ready for step two?"

Levi looked at them over his shoulder. "You mean **_all _**of that was just step one?"

"Yep," Hange giggled. "I've played with your body; now I want know what if feels like to have mine played with."

Levi rolled onto his back and propped himself up on his elbows as Hange got off the bed and began to undo their light-yellow shirt. They hesitated. "Are you sure you don't care if I'm a male or a female?"

The look in Levi's silver eyes softened. "I'm positive."

"You won't tell anyone?"

"I promise, I will tell no one your sex or gender."

"Well . . . here it goes, then." They removed the shirt, then the tight band that covered their chest. Levi's face betrayed nothing of what he thought when a pair of C-cup breasts were revealed. They then took off their brown pants and boxer-briefs in one smooth motion. There was no doubt.

Hange was a female.

"Turn around for me," Levi instructed.

Hange did as she was told and slowly turned around 360°, so he could view her entire body. Her body was visibly well muscled but not hard and was curved in all the right places for a female. She carried just the right amount of body fat to be truly pleasing to the eye and the touch. Her legs were long and powerful, and her ass was high and round for a female due to her high activity level - perfect for groping and squeezing. A deceptively soft looking nest of curly brown hair showed down between her legs in the front. She released her hair from its messy ponytail to fall about her shoulders and took off her glasses.

"Goddamn, Hange. You're perfect!" Levi blurted out before he could stop himself. "I've seen a lot of people in my time, and most are too thin, too fat, too saggy, too hairy, too hard . . . but you . . . Fuck, Hange – this is totally cliché, but you're just right."

Hange blushed beautifully at the compliment and mumbled a shy, "thank you".

_Fuck, I think I just broke them . . . I've never heard them sound shy about anything, _Levi thought worriedly.

Levi stood from the bed and approached her, eyes wandering the naked form. "Do I have permission to touch your body?"

Hange nodded.

"I need you to say out loud. I won't touch anyone without their permission."

"You have my permission to touch my body as you'd like," she told him.

A soft, tender smile played across the small man's lips. Hange melted. _Oh my god. I've never seen him ever look like that before! Has he ever looked at _**anyone **_like that before?_

Levi placed his hands on her hips, drawing her closer, and pressed his lips against hers.

_His lips are so soft!_

_Their lips are so soft!_

They both thought the same thing as their lips met in a soft kiss. Levi ran his fingers back through her soft brown hair while staring into her large, brown eyes. "Your eyes are beautiful. This is the first really good look I've had of them without your glasses or goggles hiding them."

Hange bit her lip and blushed again. She was not used to being complimented on her looks. Levi placed a hand against the side of her face and leaned in for another kiss. She wasn't entirely sure what to do when she felt his velvety tongue run across her lower lip. She decided to copy the action and was rewarded by his lips parting, allowing her tongue access to his mouth. She was tentative at first, but quickly lost herself in the sensation of their tongues running across each other, exploring the insides of each other's mouths.

Levi eventually pulled back. His fingers brushed across the side of her left breast. Hange was shocked when she felt her clitoris twitch in response to being touched somewhere she'd never been touched by another person before. She gasped when she felt Levi's tongue lapping gently at the nipple while forefinger and thumb rolled the other between them. He soon drew the nipple into his mouth and sucked, licked and nipped at it, his tongue swirling around it in an insane, erotic dance. Her nipple felt cool when he abandoned it to repeat the process on the other.

He finally came up to kiss her again, both hands appreciatively rubbing and groping her pliant ass. He led her to the bed. "So, do you wanna top, or bottom?"

Hange looked surprised. "But you know I'm a female."

Levi looked at her kind of funny. "So? Women can top too."

"Hmm. Well, being my first time, perhaps you should top, just so I can get a feel for it."

"Alright then. Middle of the bed, on your back, legs spread. Remember, you are in control, so it you want to stop, just say so."

She giggled in excitement as she followed his command. He straddled her hips and kissed her. This time he worked his way down her jaw to just below her ear, down her throat, across the collar bones, then down the breastbone, his hands gently massaging her breasts as he did. He shifted to lay to her right, his right hand stroking the inside of her thigh. He watched her face as reached for the lube and placed a small amount on his index finger. He reached down between her legs and found her clit.

Hange gasped, back arching off the bed as Levi began rubbing her clit in small, circular strokes. A few minutes later, he felt her shudder as an orgasm quaked through her body. "It's a good thing females can have multiple orgasms," he commented as he reached further back to insert his middle finger into her vagina. She shifted uncomfortably and clenched at the intrusion. He pulled back. "Sorry."

She shook her head. "Try again."

Levi sat up. "Roll over, legs spread," he told her.

She complied, and Levi couldn't help but take a moment to admire the smooth, perfect curve of her buttocks. He placed his hands, open palm, on each cheek and rubbed appreciatively. "Damn. That ass," he muttered reverently under his breath.

"Now who's being cliché?" Hange giggled.

"Couldn't come up with anything more appropriate," Levi defended, giving both cheeks a firm grope. A yelp and a giggle escaped Hange when he gave her ass a light slap at the bottom of the cheeks, lifting slightly as he did so, getting a delightful jiggle from the fleshy mounds. "Hot damn."

He applied extra lube to his fingers, and while stroking her ass, he massaged her vaginal opening before slowly inserting his index finger. "Exhale all the way. Don't clench."

She exhaled fully, reducing her ability to clench and resist penetration. His finger slid in easily. He rubbed circles over her anal opening with his thumb as he moved the finger in and out of her. He stroked her ass with his free hand along with kissing and nipping. A humming sigh eventually signaled her enjoyment.

He was soon able to add a second finger, then a third. Another appreciative hum escaped her throat. "Think you can handle a toy?"

"Sure."

He selected a wand that was similar to the one she'd used on him, only this one was a semi-hard gel as opposed to hard acrylic and it had rounded bumps all over the ball on the end. After coving it in lube, he reached down to stimulate her clitoris as he carefully inserted the toy. She lifted her hips off the bed some in response and let out another sighing hum.

Levi stopped the clitoral stimulation and began to move the toy around inside her. It seemed he was looking for something towards the front of the walls. A high-pitched whining mewl told him he'd found it. Now he focused on that point, twirling the bumpy head of the wand against that spot while he continued kissing and nipping her ass. Though her breathing quickened, she remained quiet but for the occasional sigh. Levi, unlike many people, knew that in spite of what pornos would have people believe, that people who make a lot of noise during sex are usually faking it, trying to convince their partner that they are enjoying it whether they really are or not. People who are quiet during sex, are truly enjoying it with no need to pretend.

He was pleased when he heard Hange gasp followed by a shudder as another orgasm hit her. He withdrew, setting the toy aside and admired the view of the naked form spread out before him while waiting for her to recover.

Without warning, Hange got up on her knees, shoulders and head still down on the bed, presenting herself to him. "I want to know what the real thing feels like."

Levi's eyes widened slightly at her brutal, unabashed statement. "Are you sure?"

She huffed. "Yes. Now stop staring at my ass and stick it to me!" she said with a mischievous smirk. "And don't think I haven't noticed you staring at Erwin's ass the same way."

Poor Levi choked. "What?" He caught his breath. "Talk about a cock block!"

Hange grinned devilishly up at him over her shoulder. "You're not kidding anyone, mister. I've seen you staring at The Commander's ass when he's in costume. It is a fine ass, I'll admit. Think maybe you'll have a go at him next?"

Nanaba was just entering the common room downstairs, a bag full of groceries in her hand so she could prepare dinner for everyone.

Levi whacked Hange's ass. "What is wrong with you?!" He squawked, his voice was suddenly a full octave higher and considerably louder than usual.

"Ha! I saw your cock twitch the moment I said, 'Erwin's ass!" she accused loudly. "Oh! Oh! It did it again! I had no idea penises could do that! Do it again . . . Erwin's ass! Ahahahaha! That's great!"

"You idiot! I'm supposed to be pleasuring **_you_**, not thinking about Erwin's ass!" he shouted.

"Aaah! Your cock twitched again!"

Down in the common room, Nanaba heard the shouts carry down the elevator shaft. She dropped the bag in shock, eyes wide, spun on her heel and walked back out as if the devil himself were after her. She walked quickly down to the exit and stepped outside just as Mike was coming in. Nanaba grabbed his arm and dragged him away. "Call Erwin," she told him. "We're eating out tonight."

Meanwhile, unaware of what was transpiring downstairs, Levi cracked up laughing. Sex with Hange was fun. He couldn't remember sex ever being this much fun before. He smacked her ass again, hard enough to leave a pink hand print. "Whatever. Right now, the only ass I'm interested in is the one right in front of me," he told her as he rolled a condom on over his painfully hard erection. It had taken every last ounce of self restraint to ignore his weeping cock until now.

Hange was still laughing as Levi started to press in. "Ah-ha-ha-ha!" she laugh-yelped as Levi slid deep inside her body.

Levi held still for a moment, hands rubbing her hips as he waited for her to adjust to the intrusion. Patience was something Hange was a little short on at the moment, for she wiggled her ass and said, "What are you waiting for; a written invitation?"

"Brat," he called her. He pulled back almost all the way out, then thrust back in hard, aiming for the sweet spot he'd found earlier. She yelped and giggled at the sudden movement, but he could still tell that he'd missed. He tried again; and again. Finally, she let out a sharp gasp and a shudder, clenching slightly in response to his having found his target.

He began a steady rhythm of thrusting, reveling in the wet heat of her insides. Her sighs and occasional hums were his reward. Then she whimpered when he pulled out completely. "On your back."

She rolled over and he settled between her legs, lifting her thighs so he could enter her again. He had to search again, from this new angle, to find her sweet spot. He got it on the second thrust this time. Hange wrapped her legs around him as he leaned over her and began kissing her breasts and throat while he thrust repeatedly into her. Her hands rubbing his back and tangling in his hair seemed to further stimulate him.

Then she had her third orgasm. He felt her walls tremble and clench against him. There was nothing more wonderful that feeling one's partner orgasm while deep inside them. This was all it took to send Levi over the edge, his own orgasm ripping a groan from his throat and momentarily blinding him as Hange held his head to her chest.

After a few lazy thrusts to ride out the orgasm, Levi pulled out and flopped to the side, removed and tied off the condom, then lay there panting. Hange turned onto her side facing him, also breathing hard, fingers idly tracing the lines of the muscles on his chest and abdomen. He reached over and stroked the side of her blissed-out face, suspecting he had an identical expression on his own.

"That was incredible," Hange finally breathed. "I'd read that most women don't orgasm during sex very often, but . . . damn!"

Levi smirked. "I like to think I'm better than most men . . . albeit most men like to think that. Thing is, there are some – not all, but some – men are just out to have their own orgasm and don't care if their partner orgasms. Equally, a lot of bottoms will make a lot of noise and pretend to be enjoying it when they're not, so the top naturally thinks they've done a good job pleasuring their partner. Sadly, a lot of men haven't had the pleasure of experiencing a female in orgasm, so they don't know when a partner is faking it. Believe me, Hange, one can **_feel_** it when their partner orgasms."

"Well aren't you just the enlightened one," Hange teased.

"Yeah, well, I've been on the bottom a few times, myself so I know what it's like when your partner misses the mark."

Hange propped herself up on her elbow. "Funny. I never pictured you as a bottom," she said seriously.

Levi shrugged. "I'm more experimental than most guys, I guess."

Hange settled in beside him, her head on his shoulder and dozed off. A couple of hours later, they both awoke, stripped the bed, then gently washed each other in the shower . . . well, after a second round, that is.

When they finally arrived down in the common room, dressed in their costumes and ready for dinner, they discovered the dropped bag of groceries and noticeably silent headquarters. They could easily guess what happened and both turned red in the face. But then Levi got a positively evil look in his eyes. _The others will never hear from me what sex Hange is, but I can still have some fun with this without revealing anything._

* * *

The following night, they were all gathered around the table in the common room finishing dinner. Out of the blue, Levi asked Mike, "So, tell me. How is it that your nose hasn't told you what sex Hange is? Seriously. Women and men produce different pheromones, so it should be easy for an oversized konk like yours to tell the difference."

Hange giggled when Mike choked on his last bite. "They don't seem to produce any distinctly male or female pheromones," he finally answered. "Albeit, I guess it's more likely that they use something to suppress those pheromones."

"And we respect them enough to not pry," Erwin added warningly.

Hange knew Levi was up to something that was going to be fun, but they couldn't figure out what exactly.

"You're telling me you've never wondered," Levi challenged in his normal bored tone.

"Of course, we wonder sometimes," Nanaba admitted. "Just don't think it's nice to ask something like that.

"Well, you know, there is one easy way to find out," Levi stated. As Hange watched with growing interest and anticipation, Levi reached over and grabbed their crotch. Hange shrieked in surprise and then immediately roared laughing as the faces of the others collapsed into expressions of mixed shock and horror. Levi's face showed no expression at all. It was like he hadn't just grabbed the private regions of his teammate.

Hange was laughing to hard that tears leaked from their eyes and they slowly slid off their chair and onto the floor under the table.

"LEVI!" Erwin scolded loudly.

"What?" Levi asked boredly.

When Erwin was left speechless, and Hange's laughter began to subside, Mike finally looked over at Levi and asked, "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Well, what are they?"

_Gottem!_ Levi thought triumphantly. _Curiosity always wins!_

Hange peered at their comrades over the edge of the table as Levi answered, "Well, I can now say without any shadow of a doubt . . ." He paused for dramatic effect. "that they are most definitely . . . a Hange."

There was a loud snort beside him from said Hange before they collapsed into another fit of hysterical laughter at the dumbfounded expressions around them.

"Levi . . . how could you . . . why did . . ." Erwin stammered. He'd never been so caught off guard by another person in his entire life. Levi was the last person in the world he'd ever expected to have such a prankster's streak in him.

"Relax, Eyebrows. We had sex last night. I've grabbed them in more lewd ways than that. They grabbed me too. Had some interesting conversation while we were doing so, too." Levi looked pointedly at Nanaba as he said the last sentence.

Now it was Nanaba who choked, her face turning bright red. Hange, who'd been climbing back into their chair, again collapsed into a fit of giggles. "Oh, my god!" they finally gasped several minutes later when they finally made it back into their seat. "That was bloody brilliant!"


	14. Chapter 14

A couple of months later, Levi came down from the apartment looking for some breakfast before he retired for the day. He spotted Erwin still at his desk, papers scattered about and staring at his computer screen with his brow furrowed with intense concentration.

"When was the last time you had a good shit?" Levi asked him.

Erwin actually jumped slightly in surprise. "What?"

"You look constipated over there."

Erwin chuckled and leaned back and stretched, then rubbed his eyes. "Work. It never takes a day off, even if I try to."

Levi came over and sat in one of the chairs by the desk. "You're burning the candle at both ends, Commander. You won't be able to do either of your jobs very well if you keep this up. You need to relax a little. And there's this thing called 'sleep'. You should try it sometime."

Erwin raised an eyebrow. "Says the man with constant dark shadows around his eyes."

"Nightmares," Levi explained. "But at least I get **_some_** sleep. I don't see that you get any. Do you even have a hobby or any way to decompress?"

"No time."

"Make time."

"What would you suggest?"

"Sex," Levi said bluntly. "It's a great way to relieve stress and help one to relax. I always sleep better after a good fuck. Just ask Hange."

"Did you two really talk about my ass while you were doing that?"

Levi raised an eyebrow. "So, they're the fuck-and-tell type, huh? Yeah, they brought up the subject. But that's not what we're discussing here. We're discussing how **_you_** need a good fuck."

"Are you volunteering?" Erwin teased.

Levi rolled his eyes. "I thought I was making it pretty obvious."

Erwin's eyes widened. "But you're with Hange."

"So? They don't mind. They've even suggested a three way sometime. It's just sex, Erwin, not a contract."

Erwin gave Levi's body an appraising once over, then licked his lips. "You're really serious, aren't you? I thought you hated me."

Another eye roll. "It's just sex. And for the record, I don't hate you. You piss me off a lot, with your smug arrogance, but that doesn't mean I hate you. You know, for someone as smart and observant as you are, you sure are dense. I really don't know how much more plainly I can put this. Come upstairs and fuck me . . . now."

Erwin visibly swallowed. _I must have nodded off at my computer . . . this has to be a dream. There's no way this could be real._ Erwin could already feel himself getting hard. _If this is real, then it's a dream come true. Levi's got the most perfect male body I've ever seen._

Levi had turned and was headed for the elevator. Work forgotten, Erwin quickly stood up and followed. No way was he going to pass up an opportunity like this one. Unlike Hange, who'd bounced with excitement the whole elevator ride, Erwin remained awkwardly silent. He startled when Levi suddenly spoke. "Don't tell me you're a virgin too."

"What? No."

"Then you've never fucked a guy before?"

"Well, I have, but . . . I just . . . I'm just . . . I never thought I'd actually have a chance to do this with you."

Levi rolled his eyes yet again as they stepped out into the apartment. He led Erwin over to the bed before turning and unbuttoning the blond's shirt. "Ground rules; I don't do oral and I don't eat ass. No sharp instruments and always use condoms and lube. What are yours?"

"Just no sharp instruments and definitely use condoms and lube."

"Good. We agree." Levi began to remove his own shirt when Erwin stopped him.

"Let me."

Levi raised a quizzical eyebrow but lowered his hands and let Erwin have control. Erwin brushed the side of the smaller man's face with his fingers before leaning down for a kiss. Levi willingly opened his lips when Erwin's tongue brushed them in askance. The next several minutes were taken up with deep kissing while curious hands roamed each other's torsos.

Eventually, Erwin worked his way along Levi's jaw and down his throat, sucking and leaving marks in his wake. Levi closed his eyes and relished the sensation, his hands mussing up the perfectly coifed blond locks. Erwin's large hands rubbed up the smaller man's abdomen and chest under the shirt as he worked, eventually breaking away long enough to remove the shirt entirely. He pulled Levi onto the bed and laid him down on his back.

Levi sighed in bliss as Erwin's lips continued working along his collarbones and eventually down his breastbone, all the while enjoying the sensation of Erwin's calloused hands rubbing up and down his sides. His breath hitched when he felt lips latch on to his left nipple, sucking firmly while the tongue flicked against it. It hitched again when Erwin nipped lightly at it. _Just a few moments ago he was all shy and blushing like a freaking virgin. Didn't take long for him to get his confidence back and take charge. Fuck, but this feels good!_

Eventually Erwin switched to the other nipple. He wasn't in any hurry. This was a chance he never thought he's have, after all, and he wanted to enjoy it and make it last as long as possible. After he was finally satisfied with the color and pertness of the nipples, he worked his way down the abdomen, paying loving attention to each beautifully etched muscle as he went. He traced the happy trail of course, ebony hairs leading down from the belly button with his finger.

He moved back and pulled Levi's shoes and socks off, tossing them to the floor, then hooked his fingers on the waistband of the black jersey pants and briefs, and slowly pulled them down and off the muscular legs, tossing them to join the shoes and socks on the floor. He spread the raven's legs and the knelt between his feet to admire the view. "No wonder you're so short," Erwin teased. "It all went to this." For emphasis, he ran his finger up the surprising length of the very erect penis that lay against Levi's belly. A delicious shiver and an explosion of goose pimples were Erwin's reward. "Beautiful," Erwin declared.

Levi gasped when Erwin leaned down and ran his tongue up his cock from balls to tip. Erwin then took a gentle hold of the shaft and began just licking across the tip, occasionally dipping his tongue into the opening. Levi lay with his head back, eyes closed, and mouth slightly open as continuous waves of pleasure washed over him. After several moments of nothing but gentle the licking of his tip, Levi came with no warning at all. Even Levi was caught off guard by it.

Levi began squirming on the sheets beneath Erwin as he came down from his orgasm. When he regained his senses, he noticed Erwin licking his lips. "Delicious."

"Gross. Fucking awesome . . . but gross."

Erwin chuckled. "Roll over."

Levi actually did as instructed without argument, content to let Erwin have total control. It was pleasant to have someone make love to him.

Erwin immediately placed his large hands on the milky white ass before him. Smooth, satiny skin felt heavenly beneath rough calloused hands. He gave the flesh an experimental squeeze and actually moaned at the firm resistance. A light smack to the underside of the mounds, much like Levi had done to Hange, produced a slight jiggle. "Perfect." Erwin stated.

After several moments of massaging Levi's ass, Erwin spread the cheeks, and giving no warning, ran his tongue from under the balls right up over the opening. Levi's surprised yelp was ignored as Erwin repeated the action a few more times. _I will never understand how something so gross can feel so incredibly good, _Levi thought.

Erwin placed a long series of kisses, licks and sucks to the puckered opening while Levi lay with his head resting on his forearms, quietly enjoying feeling. Erwin sat up and ran his hands up over Levi's back, then frowned. "Wings."

"Hmm?"

"I want to see your wings."

Levi looked at Erwin questioningly over his shoulder. He'd always kept his wings hidden during sex, largely to protect his identity. He complied with the demand, however, activating the phase inverter to bring his large, black wings into view. They appeared out of thin air, open enough to keep his ass uncovered.

Erwin hummed in appreciation, running his hands over the smooth feathers. He then ran his hands up Levi's back, under the wings, rubbing against the joint between the wing's underside and his back. Levi's reaction surprised them both. His entire body jolted as Erwin's hands rubbed firmly under the joint. The wave of ecstasy that radiated out from the touch was far more intense that Levi had expected. He groaned in pleasure as Erwin, who'd loved the reaction, repeated the motion before massaging the joint to be rewarded with a series of soft mewls.

He switched to stroking the feathers that ran down Levi's spine between the two wings. A sighing moan signaled the pleasure this gave. Placing a firm kiss between the wings, Erwin shifted back to sit on his heels between the smaller man's legs. "Lube and condoms?"

"Nightstand. Top drawer. Your right," Levi said, his mind currently too blissed out to form coherent sentences.

Erwin massaged a generous amount of lube onto the puckered opening, receiving a pleasured hum from Levi. He continued the circular motions for a few moments before slipping the index finger in. Erwin was surprised at how easily the intrusion was accepted. _He's very relaxed. He must really trust me. I'm surprised._

Levi remained contentedly relaxed as the large finger moved slowly in and out for what seemed like an eternity. A glance back over his shoulder saw Erwin apparently mesmerized by the sight of his finger disappearing into Levi's ass over and over again. Levi said nothing, choosing to enjoy the sensation, instead.

Finally, Erwin got around to inserting a second finger. Levi hummed in approval as long fingers began moving around inside him, exploring and stretching him at the same time. Soon a third finger was added. The fingers pumped in and out of him while Erwin's free hand massaged his ass and lips kissed, licked and nipped the satiny flesh.

The removal of the fingers had Levi looking back as Erwin got off the bed to remove his own pants and boxers. Levi's eyes widened at the sight of Erwin's erection. "How're you so damn tall when so much went into that?" he questioned snarkly. "Hate to think how big you'd be if it hadn't."

Erwin chuckled as he rolled a condom over it. He settled back between Levi's legs and coated his erection in lube. "Ready?"

"Ages ago."

Erwin smirked, straddled Levi's spread thighs and slowly pushed himself in. Levi sighed at the intrusion, loving the full feeling he had. Erwin waited a moment, laying down over the feathered back to kiss at the nape of Levi's neck and across the shoulders. Levi's wings were partially open, resting on the bed. Erwin straightened, pulled out so that only the tip remained inside, and slowly pressed back in again, angling towards Levi's front. A long, inhaled hiss and a shudder told Erwin he'd hit his mark. He pulled back and thrust back in again, aiming for the same spot.

The blond gradually built up speed until he reached a steady, easily maintained rhythm. His hands wandered over Levi's back, hips and buttocks as he thrust in and out. Using his feet, he spread Levi's legs wider, then lay down on top of him, letting his hips do all the work, his own ass bouncing up and down on top of the smaller in a steady, mesmerizing rhythm.

A few moments later, he pulled out. "On your back," he ordered.

Levi obeyed, laying back, wings spread on either side of him, hands resting near his head and his legs open. "Beautiful," was all Erwin could say. On his hands and knees above his partner, Erwin leaned in for a lengthy series of kisses. He then paused and lifted up with an odd look on his face. Levi cocked his head questioningly. "I have to fart," Erwin answered the unasked question. Seconds later, an almost dainty bugle sounded in the large room.

Levi instantly burst out laughing. So did Erwin. There they were, both naked on the bed, erections hard as rocks, Levi on his back with his legs currently wrapped around Erwin's waist, and Erwin on his knees above him, and both of them laughing loudly at an untimely fart.

Once the moment of levity finally passed, Erwin lifted Levi's right leg up to rest on his shoulder and placed himself back inside the small body below him. Erwin held Levi's leg up by the ankle and held the left leg out to the side. He looked down at the sight of his erection disappearing repeatedly into the beautiful man. He moaned involuntarily.

Levi soon lay panting, eyes closed, one hand resting limp up by his head and the other reaching down to pump his own leaking erection in time to Erwin's thrusts. A couple of minutes later, he came with a short cry followed by a long mewl as ribbons of translucent white liquid spilled out over his abdomen. Erwin groaned at the sensation of Levi shuddering and clenching down around him. He began to thrust faster, chasing his own release. He focused on the hot, slick walls around him, still watching himself disappear over and over again into a beautiful man he thought he'd never be able to touch. Within a few minutes of Levi's orgasm, Erwin came with an unrestrained cry followed by several groans as he rode out his own orgasm.

Erwin leaned forward and kissed the smaller man's lips. He eventually pulled out, removed and tied of the condom and tossed it into a nearby trash can. Levi, in the meantime, was squirming in absolute bliss on the sheets, humming and sighing softly. Erwin found it to the most enchanting sight he'd ever witnessed. Once Levi stilled, Erwin cleaned of the man's belly with a tissue, then pulled him in to spoon him. Neither one said anything but drifted into deep and peaceful sleep.

* * *

It was early evening when the two men awoke, naked in each other's arms. "Wow. We slept the entire day," Erwin noted in disbelief.

Beside him, Levi stretched contentedly. "Told you sleep is better after a good fuck."

Erwin chuckled and shook his head. He watched his smaller partner get out of bed, pick up discarded clothes to fold neatly and place on a chair, then head towards the bathroom, all while still completely naked. _I could definitely get used to seeing that sight!_

After a rather lively shower that included Erwin taking Levi pinned against the shower wall, they dressed and headed down to the common room where Mike was setting the table for dinner. The smell of fresh curry filled the entire floor. Yet when Erwin passed Mike, greeting the lanky man as he did, Mike gave him a strange look.

He moved in close to Erwin, trying to not be noticed, and took in a long whiff of air. The puzzled expression on the scruffy blond's face deepened. He then went over to Levi and did the same. Levi noticed everything – especially people in his personal space – and swatted at the man, almost hitting his nose. "What is **_wrong _**with you?! I'm not a goddamn daisy! Get that oversized honk away from me! Fucking weirdo!"

Mike looked back over to Erwin, then to Levi again. "You two have just had sex!" he declared.

At that moment, Nanaba was coming out of the kitchen. She dropped the utensils she was carrying, and they hit the floor with a loud clattering. "I did **_NOT_** need to hear that right before dinner!"

Erwin was actually turning red, but Levi showed no emotion at all. "You know, Sniffy; just because that intrusive schnoz of yours knows something, doesn't mean you need to announce it to the world."

"What? I'm just shocked. I never in a million years would have guessed that you would . . . um . . . let Erwin . . . um . . . you know," Mike protested lamely.

A split second later, Levi was hit by a freight train called Hange. They squeezed him in one of their signature death-hugs. "Ooooooh! This is so awesome! I'm so happy for you! Both of you! Oo! Oo! Oo! When can we do a threesome?"

Nanaba clapped her hands firmly over her ears. "LA! LA! LA! I CAN'T HEAR THIS!" she shouted as she retreated back into the kitchen. Mike, now red in the face, decided it was in his best interest to do the same.

"Nice. Don't have the guts to finish the conversation you started?" Levi called after him.

Erwin sat at his desk, head in his hands and shoulders shaking. When he finally looked up, it was obvious that he'd been laughing . . . still was. "I gotta say, Levi, things have certainly been a damn sight more interesting with you around."

* * *

Levi settled far more easily into life with the Scouts than he'd thought he would. He got used to having the others around all the time and actually took comfort in their presence. They often had dinner together before heading out to patrol the city. His sex life had **_definitely_** taken a turn for the better. Threesomes were fun!

One thing frustrated him though. No matter how much time passed; no matter how many people they interrogated (by sometimes less that humane methods), they never seemed to find out anything useful about Titan. But, after seven years of dead ends, that was all about to change.


	15. Chapter 15

Kidnapped

The next generation of Supers were hitting the streets. Most were heroes, thankfully. They were young and inexperienced, and some just refused to accept advice from the seasoned veterans, often resulting in injury or, worse still, death of either the younger or the veteran. Levi remembered a couple of months ago saving a hapless hero that had bitten off way more than he could handle when he took on a villain called Chaotic. The villain was not only powerful but had a lot of well-trained underlings. Levi was grateful that T-BAB and Faerie had been there to help. "Damn kids shouldn't be allowed to fight crime when they have no fucking clue what their doing," T-BAB complained.

"Babs," Faerie chided. "We were just like him a few years ago. Remember?"

"Tch! You two were never as bad as this dipshit. He's lucky Beringer can put him back together again," Levi argued. After a few minutes he continued. "Put any thought into The Commander's offer?"

T-BAB and Faerie exchanged glances. "We have," Faerie confirmed.

"Yeah. We decided that having backup and really good resources wouldn't be such a bad thing," T-BAB said. "Plus, dinner every night sounds really good too!"

"Babs!"

"What? I think with my gut!"

Faerie shook her head. "Anyway, we've decided that it would be a good idea to join the Scouting Regiment."

To his surprise, Levi didn't mind the extra activity around headquarters. Faerie, Krista Lenz, was quiet and kind; always ready to help in any way she could. Heaven help you, however, if you pissed her off. T-BAB, Ymir, was a kindred spirit to Levi. She came across as rude, cold and uncouth, but she cared far deeper than she let on. The two hit it off immediately, sharing crude jokes and puns and going out of their way to drive Erwin nuts.

Since the two girls were accustomed to working together, Erwin kept them as a team. Levi worked with Hange most of the time, and Mike with Nanaba. Erwin worked with each team as needed and on rare occasions, they would each work alone.

* * *

Levi and Hange were perched atop Mitras Tower with its commanding view of the entire city. Hange was yammering on ceaselessly about things going on at the university, as they often did on those rare, quiet nights in Mitras. They were especially excited since a new year was starting and they had a whole new group of students in their chemistry classes. "This semester's batch of students is especially interesting!" they gushed.

"You say that every year," Levi said dryly.

Hange ignored him. "There's this adorable blond coconut that is, at the very least, as smart as both me and Erwin combined! He was 16 when he started college! He's 20 now. And then there's his friend – eyes the light green of a tropical ocean. The kid is smart; and determined. If he decided he was going to pull down a mountain with his bare hands, let me tell you, he'd do it come hell or high water or die trying!"

"I call that stubborn; stupid-stubborn," Levi countered.

Hange again ignored him. "They're both going for a geology degree. Ocean Eyes is working on a master's in Volcanology. Coconut is studying Seismology. The two have plans to do research together when they have their master's and are going to go for PhDs. Then there's this scary ass girl that's always hanging around with them. Long, black hair, dark, grey eyes, constant resting bitch face . . . lot like you, actually. She always has this red scarf on – even when it's hotter 'n Hades out. Good thing I hang around you all the time, so I'm probably the only person on the planet not intimidated by her. She scares the crap out of anyone trying to give Coconut and Ocean Eyes a hard time. Don't know what she's studying, though. She's just always around, all dark and broody."

Levi, barely paying Hange any mind, watched a Super several blocks away jump between buildings. _Huntress; Not much more than 20 years old. Only been in the Super hero business 8 months. At least she's got above average instincts. Phenomenal accuracy with that bow, too. No one's had to bail her out of trouble yet. In fact, as I recall, she's bailed out a few newbies._

As he continued to scan the city, he spotted another new hero flying over the university. _There's that creepy bitch with the red scarf over her nose and mouth instead of a mask. Maybe I don't like her because she's too much like me. I mean, hell,_** I**_ wouldn't like me! She has no moniker either. But all she's got going for her is super strength and spontaneous flight. Haven't seen any indication of real intelligence. She just blindly goes in and beats the shit out of everything assuming her strength is enough to get her through. Of course, she is just a kid. Can't be more than 20, if that. Only been working the streets 6 months. _

_Oh geez. I see Northwind's got himself in trouble again. You'd think that after a year working the streets he'd have picked up at least SOME smarts. Guess not. And there goes Huntress to bail him out . . . again. I mean, yeah, his power is over air . . . but it seems that it's only because air's all he's got between his ears! If the dipshit would listen to the veterans and had a little training, he might not be half bad . . . but I don't see that happening anytime soon._

_Looks like Stretch is back on his feet after that debacle two weeks ago with that commuter train. At least he stopped it before it hit the missing rail section, but still, even he can only stretch so far. Good thing Aegis was there in front of the train helping to stop it. Hate to have seen what happens if he gets stretched to far. Gross. That armor coating Aegis has is unbreakable as far as I can tell. They've worked the south end together for just about a year now. Determined, strong and they work well together. Those two might be useful to the Scouts; but for one little thing . . . _

_And speak of the devil, the queen of ice herself, Whiteout. She brings cold hearted to a whole new level! T-BAB _**pretends**_ to not give a shit; this dame really DOESN'T give a shit! Only reason she's out on the streets at all is because she's got an obvious thing for Stretch. She's been working with Stretch and Aegis for a couple of months now. Cold and calculating; this girl's had some serious training. Doubt she'd be a good fit with the Scouts, though. Not a lick of human compassion. She's scarier than the chick with the red scarf. She's the only reason I'd not recommend Stretch and Aegis for the Scouts. _

"Are you even listening to me?" Hange challenged.

"Sort of. Coconut and Ocean Eyes are going to be a geology super team of Volcanology and Seismology and there's a scary-ass bitch hanging around them," Levi replied.

Hange laughed. "Oh my god! You really **_were_** listening!"

**_"Raven. Codex."_**

Levi brought his hand up to the device in his ear. "What do you want, Eyebrows?"

There was a soft chuckle at the nickname. **_"Just heard a report from our contact in the police department about a student being kidnapped over at the university this afternoon. Kid's name is Eren Jaeger, 22 years old, brown hair, green eyes, 5 feet 7 inches tall, roughly 145 pounds. He's a geology student, working on his master's. The person calling it in said the kidnappers were wearing masks like the ones worn by Titan. One of the masks described fits the one worn by Sadistic Grin."_**

"Shit," Levi muttered under his breath. "Is this kid any relation to Dr. Grisha Jaeger?"

**_"Seems very likely, though I can't be sure without talking to the boy," _**Erwin replied. **_"Which might explain why they grabbed Eren. Titan may think the boy knows something about Dr. Jaeger's gene therapy research. It sounds like something they'd be interested in, and since the Doctor vanished nearly ten years ago . . . either way, we need to find Eren. That and we've been trying to get our hands on Grin for questioning for months now."_**

"Got it. Codex and I are on it." Levi replied.

"Eren Jaeger; that's Ocean Eyes from my class!" Codex said in shock.

"Yeah, well, don't let Jaeger know that."

Hange remained silent, and even stilled their thoughts as Levi scanned the city for sights or sounds of a distressed kidnap victim. "Nothing. Guess we're doing this the hard way."

It took them until the next night to find the location Eren had been taken to. The abandoned community center looked like it was about to collapse at any moment. Following his hearing, Levi led Codex up to a hallway on the top floor. He turned up his nose at the plethora of dusty cobwebs along with pigeon and rat droppings all over the hallway floor, and rain dripping though holes in the roof. He stopped outside a heavy, locked set of double doors. He could hear people talking inside.

"Stop your whining, Egghead!"

"I'm not whining! But if Beast isn't sending someone to get the Jaeger kid until tomorrow, then why didn't we wait until tonight to grab him? Why'd we grab the obnoxious little shit yesterday? In broad daylight!"

"You know why," a third voice interjected. "That damned Super sister of his would have interfered. Between classes in the middle of the day was the only time we could grab him with minimal fuss and without that red scarved bitch getting in the way."

"Oh, please. It's not like we couldn't take her out easily. Grin could do it in one blow. You or I could too, using that special poison," the second voice countered.

"Egghead, shut the fuck up before I shut you up permanently!" the first voice snapped.

"Whatcha laughing at, Jaeger?" the third voice sneered. "Don't think we could kill your sister? She's not infallible, you know. We're specially equipped and trained to take out Supers, and your sister is far from being one of the best or the strongest." They laughed.

Levi glanced at Hange and they nodded. The door had a mechanical lock instead of electronic, so Codex's power would have no effect. A slight hop into the air and a powerful stroke of his wings created the Thunder Shock that blew both doors off their hinges and flying into the room beyond. One of the kidnappers was pinned beneath a door, unconscious. A couple of swift kicks from Levi took out the other two.

Codex flopped to sit down on the door that was on top of the kidnapper in a huff, arms folded over their chest and pouting. "No fair, Raven! You got all the fun! You could've left at least one for me."

Levi rolled his eyes as he cuffed the one wearing the mask with a grotesque smile on it. This one was Sadistic Grin. The mask and the wig and looked female, but the goateed face beneath was definitely male. "Can it, Codex. Why don't you make yourself useful and untie the kid on that disgusting bed over there?"

"Oh! Right! Forgot about him!" They jumped up and ran over to the bed in the far corner. Levi hadn't been kidding when he'd called it disgusting. It was probably white at one time but was now dingy and covered in rat and pigeon feces, feathers and even a desiccated rat carcass. The smell alone was nauseating. "Hi, sweetie! You're Eren Jaeger, right? The student kidnapped from the University yesterday afternoon? You poor thing! Those mean jerks put these cable ties on you way too tight! Look! Your wrists are bleeding and your toes are turning blue! And such a filthy place! OW!"

"Come up for air, Codex," Levi instructed after throwing an acorn from the floor at their head. "The kid's traumatized enough already."

Codex pouted as they removed the gag from the boy's mouth. Eren took in a deep breath. "OhmygodyouguysarecodexandravenknightfromthescoutingregimentYouguysareuberfamousIvealwayswantedtomeetyouIvelookeduptoyouguysallmylife!"

Levi deadpanned at the student. He could sense the younger's attraction to him even though he wasn't trying. _Gotta nip this problem in the bud right now._ "Hero worship much? You better not be expecting us to carry you out of here, brat. You're filthy, smelly and disgusting. Besides, Codex and I need to carry these three shit stains down to the car. They're what we really came for."

"Asshole much?" Eren retorted, sounding equally indignant and deflated at the same time.

"Always," Levi replied as he went to pick up Sadistic Smile. Something was wrong, however. "Shit! The fuckstick's dead!"

"So's this one," Codex confirmed as they checked the one of the others.

"I **_know_** I didn't kick them **_that_** hard!"

"No. You didn't. This one has a little blue foam at the corners of his mouth. Looks like some kind of fast acting poison. Damn it!" Codex snapped as they kicked a nearby chair.

Levi checked the Titan under the door. "This guy's alive."

Codex pulled on a pair of nitrile gloves over their costume gloves and checked in the man's mouth. "Good. He hasn't had a chance to swallow or bite it." They pulled a small, blue capsule from a pocket that had been created in the inside of the man's cheek and put it in a small vial. After sealing the vial, they continued, "Guess it's a good thing he got hit with the door. Knocked him out hard enough to prevent him from waking up and taking the poison." They checked the rest of his mouth for poisons and then stood up. "But the one The Commander really wanted was Grin."

"At least now you'll be able to find out what poison they're using to commit suicide and why it never shows up in a post mortem," Levi stated.

"Small consolation."

"True." Levi hefted the one living Titan over his shoulder and started walking out. "Let's get out of this filthy den of shit."

"Hey! What about me?"

Levi looked back to see Eren just standing by the bed looking lost. "What about you?"

Eren's mouth fell open. "I . . ."

"You're not tied up anymore, so do whatever the fuck you want."

"Raven Knight, that's beyond rude . . . even for you!" Codex scolded. "Poor Eren's been tied up for 36 hours on a repository of animal feces and is covered cuts and bruises that could really use a little T.L.C. Besides, do you really think it's safe to let him walk home alone at this hour? I mean, he probably lives near the university and that's on the other side of town and obviously Titan wants to get their hands on him."

Levi rolled his eyes. "Whatever. But, you will be the one cleaning the van tomorrow after that filthy kid's been in it! Disgusting!"

Codex walked triumphantly past him. "Deal! Gives me a chance to try out that new odor and germ neutralizer I've been working on!"

Levi hid his wings and followed Codex, calling over his shoulder, "Don't just stand there like a fucking bump, kid. If you don't wanna be walking home, get a move on!"

Scowling, Eren followed after the small hero. _I can't believe he's such an asshole! I thought Mikasa was just exaggerating when she told me. Well . . . at least I'm getting a nice long look at his ass on the way down! Damn, he's even hotter up close. I mean . . . that ass!_

Levi dumped the Titan none to gently in the back of the van. He wrinkled his nose in disgust when he got in to drive. He refrained from commenting on the odor and just put all the windows down. Codex put a blindfold on Eren. "Sorry, sweetie. Just protocol."

"I understand," Eren responded.

The Commander was waiting for them when they arrived at headquarters. He was understandably upset when he learned that Sadistic Grin and one other Titan were dead. "But, I suppose one live Titan is better than none at all. It's likely, though, that this one won't know who Beast is. Raven, take Eren to the locker room to clean up, then bring him up to the common room. I'd like to ask him a few questions. Codex, help me get this guy . . . settled in. Need to make sure he doesn't have any way to kill himself when he wakes up."

"Yeah. Sure. Stick me with babysitting duty," Levi grumbled audibly as he opened the van's sliding door. He guided an annoyed Eren, still blindfolded, out and led him to the locker room. He turned off most of the lights so as not to blind Eren when he removed the blindfold. Eren blinked a couple of times and looked around in awe. "Bathroom's in there," Levi told him, pointing out a door directly in front of them. "Towels are in the cupboard by the sink, and there's soap and shit in the shower. Leave those clothes outside the door when you've stripped so I can put them in the washer. There are some robes in the closet across from the toilet you can use when you're done."

"Thanks," Eren said quietly as he went to clean off.

"Go easy on those cuts on the wrists. I'll clean them out properly as soon as you come out," Levi added. "Don't take for fucking ever."

Eren rolled his eyes. _Just when I thought the little fucker was actually being nice._

As he was putting Eren's soiled clothes into the washing machine, Levi couldn't stop thinking about those beautiful light bluish-green eyes and soft, though messy brown hair and smooth, sun-kissed skin. _Oh my god, Levi! What is wrong with you?! You're thinking like some shitty hormonal teenager! He's just a kid, for fuck's sake! I mean, yes, he's got a really nice ass . . . goddamit! STOP!_

Thoroughly disgusted with himself, Levi flopped down on the sectional sofa that was across from the bathroom and lockers. He laid his head against the back and closed his eyes. Moments later, his eyes flew open wide. There was no mistaking the soft sounds coming from the bathroom over the sound of falling water. Levi cursed his Super hearing.

Letting out a groan of pure dismay, he tried in vain to block out the soft sighs and moans and the unmistakable sound of slapping skin coming from the shower. What was worse was hearing his moniker whispered intermittently. _Oh, my fucking gourd! Damn fucking hormonal teenagers! Always thinking with their dicks. If he wants to jack off, fine, but did he really have to use me in his fantasy? Ugh! I think I'm gonna be sick . . . Forget it. I _**am**_ sick, cuz I'm sitting here sporting a semi because of a fucking hormonal teenager! What is wrong with me? It's not like I'm not getting laid enough, cuz between Hange and Erwin, my sex life is nothing short of phenomenal . . . so why is this kid affecting me like this?_

A loud moaning of his moniker from the bathroom as Eren came had Levi running for the laundry room, hoping the noise of the washing machine would drown out the sounds of the horny young man in the shower. _Goddamn, I wish I could unhear that! _He unhid his wings and wrapped them around himself like a cloak to hide his growing hard-on. _Seriously . . . what the actual fuck is wrong with me?_ He splashed some cold water on his face from the laundry room sink and walked back out into the locker room.

What he found almost made him laugh. There stood Eren, towel around his neck, wearing a pink, silk robe with cherry blossoms all over it. Eren had the decency to be bright red with embarrassment. "I . . . uh . . . well . . . one of the robes was so big I couldn't wrap it around me tight enough. Another was so long it would've dragged on the floor, two were too small, and another two were on the floor and I assumed they were dirty. This was all that was left that was clean and would fit me."

Levi, with great difficulty, maintained his lack of facial expression. He pointed to a round table with chairs around it between the sitting area and the lockers. "Sit."

Eren did as he was told, still blushing. Levi disappeared for a few moments and returned with some hydrogen peroxide, a basin, salve and bandages. "Hold your wrists over the basin," he instructed as he uncapped the peroxide. "This is gonna sting like hell, but at least it doesn't burn like alcohol does," he warned.

The student inhaled a hiss through his teeth as Levi poured the liquid over the injured wrists and watched it fizz for several seconds until Levi gently dabbed the wounds dry with a gauze pad. Eren was surprised with how gentle Levi was as he applied salve to the raw, open flesh then wrapped them with clean gauze. The Super went over to the sink by the lockers and washed his hands after putting the trash and medical supplies away.

"C'mon, brat. Commander wants to talk to you."

Eren frowned as he followed Levi from the locker room to the stairs up to the common room. _How can he be so gentle one minute and such an asshole the next? _"My name is Eren, not brat. It's not like you're any older than I am."

"And just how old are you?"

"22."

"…"

"I take that to mean I'm older?"

"I'm 28."

"Gee. A whole 6 years older than me!" Eren's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Aren't you just the totally ancient one."

Just as they were stepping into the common room, Levi retaliated with, "Perhaps if you hadn't been jacking off in the shower to some idiotic fantasy about me like a stupid teenager, I might not have assumed you were one."

Eren's face turned brilliant red as everyone in the room turned to look at him. "B-b-but . . . ha . . . how?"

"Super hearing. I hope you cleaned that shower very thoroughly after you were done making a mess in it."

The student hung his head. "I did," he said quietly.

"Tch! Probably not good enough."

"That's enough, Raven," The Commander said as he approached Eren and held out his hand. "Welcome to Scout headquarters, Eren."

Eren's ocean green eyes widened as he shook the hero's hand. "Wow! You're even bigger in person, Commander. It's a real honor to meet you!"

"The honor is mine," The Commander corrected. "Codex and Raven Knight you already know. This over here at the table is Bloodhound. Static, T-Bab and Faerie have already gone home, but I'm sure you'll meet them eventually. Come have a seat at the table. There's some questions I hope you may be able to answer for us if you're willing."

_Phew! Glad The Commander isn't an asshole like Raven Knight! _"Of course, sir. Anything to help," Eren agreed as he took a seat across from Bloodhound, then reached across to shake the lanky man's hand. "I'm Eren Jaeger. It's an honor to meet you, Bloodhound. I have a poster in my room at home with all you guys on it."

"Tch. Great. He's a fanboy," Levi groaned.

"Raven," The Commander warned.

Levi rolled his eyes but said nothing more.

Eren's eyes widened as Bloodhound got up from his seat and came around beside him and leaned in for a very obvious sniff. "Wh-wha?"

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Sniffy!" Levi groaned as he face-palmed.

Bloodhound simply nodded his approval and went back to his seat without a word, leaving Eren completely mystified.

"Eren, would you happen to be related to a Dr. Grisha Jaeger?" The Commander asked, breaking Eren from his daze.

"Well . . . I guess it's okay to tell you guys. But please, you can't tell anyone else. Yeah, Grisha Jaeger was my dad. He was a geneticist. He was working on gene therapy for cancer."

"Was? You mean he's dead?"

Eren looked down at the table sadly. "I don't know. He disappeared when my sister and I were about 8. Mom wouldn't tell us anything. I used to think he abandoned us for another woman. Mom moved us from Shiganshina to Mitras with a long-time family friend named Hannes and we left everything behind. She told us to never tell anyone who our father was. Mom died six years ago. Hannes told us it was a hit and run accident. Nothing was ever said about it in the papers or around the neighborhood. I had a devil of a time getting into the university because they couldn't find any records on me from before moving to Mitras. You see, the house we'd left behind in Shiganshina burned to the ground and took all the records with it. Doesn't explain why town and hospital records were wiped out too. Luckily, Hannes claimed me as his son, so I did finally get in . . . but . . . I guess you're all wondering why I never questioned any of this before, huh?"

"Why didn't you?" Codex asked gently.

"Guess I didn't really want to know," Eren replied. "I just wanted to get into college so bad and live my dream that I didn't want anything from the past to ruin my future. Guess I'm just a coward at heart."

"Says the kid who was kidnapped and held tied up, gagged and blindfolded on a bed of shit for 36 hours and still had the balls to laugh at his captors," Levi said dryly. "Yes, I heard that before we broke in," he responded to the disbelieving question on Eren's face.

"He really laughed at them?" Bloodhound asked.

"He did. They were talking shit about his sister, and I heard him laugh at them through his gag and the closed doors," Levi confirmed.

"Can I ask a question?" Eren asked.

"You just did," Levi replied. Codex whacked him on the arm.

"Go ahead, Eren," The Commander permitted.

"Just who were those guys and why did this Beast person want me? I'm just a geology student at the university. Did it have something to do with my real dad?"

The Commander thought about it a moment, debating how much to tell the young man. "You cannot tell anyone outside of the Scouts what you're about to hear."

"Agreed," Eren said seriously.

"Very well," The Commander conceded. "Titan is a very dangerous and worldwide criminal organization with currently unknown goals that would be very detrimental to humankind. What we do know is that they seem to be working on something that has to do with genetics. Several renowned geneticists, doctors and biologist have disappeared around the world. We don't know how many are with Titan willingly and how many are not. We also know that Titan's reach is very long. They have influence and operatives everywhere. They guard their secrets well. Their people will commit suicide, as those two this evening did, rather than answer questions. They also have police influence, so if a Titan is arrested, they are immediately released. Scary part of all of this is that most their people protect the organization out of loyalty more than fear, and the rest are so afraid of what Titan may do if betrayed, that they go along with them. As a result, it is hard to know who to trust and harder still to get reliable information on them."

"Soooo, you think that because my father was a geneticist that he may have had something to do with Titan, either willingly or unwillingly?" Eren concluded. "And they either need me to make him cooperate or because they think I have information on where he is or what he was doing."

"That is correct," The Commander confirmed. "Did your captors tell you or ask you anything?"

Eren shook his head. "No. All I know is that they were waiting for someone called Beast to send someone to pick me up. They mostly argued while I was there. Who was going to get food and drink; they didn't like the food that was brought; why did they kidnap me so early; who was the one who picked the hideout; crap like that. Let's see, the leader was called Grin. The one that got hit by the door and you have in custody is called Egghead, and the other guy . . . he was a really mean one . . . he was called Tubby." Then Eren chuckled. "It really pissed him off whenever Grin or Egghead called him Teletubby."

"Knowing that Titan wants this snot-nosed brat so bad gives us at least a little bit of an edge over them," Levi stated. "Be better if we could figure out just why they want him, though."

"Not a brat," Eren said quietly and evenly.

"The sooner we can find out what Titan wants with Eren, the better," The Commander agreed. "Tell me Eren, did they mention your sister at all? And who is your sister?"

"Her name's Mikasa, and no, they said nothing about wanting her. Probably because she's not my real sister. Mom and Dad adopted her when we were only five. Her parents were murdered right in front of her. We found them when Dad was making a house call. He did that a lot in Shiganshina, since so many people couldn't afford to go to a doctor. Anyway, we found Mikasa sitting in a corner in shock, so we took her home with us and kept her."

"One of the Titans called her a 'red scarved bitch'," Levi commented. "Sound like someone we know?"

"You mean that new Super with the red scarf over her nose and mouth instead of a mask?" Erwin asked.

"Rash and over-hasty to react? Yeah, that's her," Levi replied. "That she-wolf's your sister," he directed at Eren.

"Um, I really can't say," Eren said.

"It doesn't really matter. But if your sister is as protective of you as they indicated, she could still be in danger. Codex and I ran into her about an hour before dawn yesterday, and that hot-head was ready to take off the head of whomever was unlucky enough to be closest to her," Levi explained. "She doesn't guard her identity very well, because she flat out told us you were her brother."

* * *

**_Hour before sunrise the day prior:_**

_"It was Sadistic Grin, alright. I'd recognize that mask anywhere!" Codex exclaimed as they went through security camera footage at the university. "Don't recognize the other two. Geez. Poor Eren. They just waltzed up behind him and beaned him in broad daylight on a crowded campus! Awww! Look at poor Coconut! He looks so scared! Oop! He's the one who called the kidnapping in to the cops."_

_"Don't need a play by play, Codex," Levi growled. "I can see the screen for myself. _

_Codex, switched to another camera to watch the Titan's drag Eren off. After four more cameras, they tossed the student carelessly into the back of a big black van and drove off. Codex's powers allowed them to access various cameras, both private and city owned, from the university computer they were currently hacked into. They followed the van until it reached the edge of the city. The Titans got out, still with their masks, and switched to another car. "Wait . . . where's Eren? Is he still in that van?"_

_"It's doubtful, but I'll go look. Keep tracking those three," Levi told them. It only took him five minutes to fly from the university to the abandoned van. He landed on a rooftop above where the van was parked. His gut told him this was a trap. He scanned the area for snipers. Finding none, he brought hand up to the earpiece communicator. "Hey, Commander."_

**_"What's happening, Raven?"_**

_"Nothing yet. I need Bloodhound at my location. We found the van the kidnappers used, but based on the video footage, Eren could be still in it. Smells like a trap to me, but Hound's nose is better than mine. I want to know if there's anything explosive in that van. Don't wanna blow the kid up trying to rescue him."_

**_"Good idea. Bloodhound's on his way."_**

_Levi sighed and sat on the edge of the roof to wait. Moments later, instead of Mike, a young Super flew down and landed at the back of the van. Her face, the lower half of which was covered by a red scarf, showed unbridled rage in stormy eyes. Levi dove down and barely grabbed her in time to stop her from opening the van doors. "Don't be stupid!" he snapped at her as he grabbed her wrists. "This is probably a trap set to blow if anyone tries to get in."_

_"My brother's in there!" she snarled. "Now get out of my way!" She threw Levi across the alley. Had he been a normal Super, he might have hit the dumpster on the far side of the alley, but he righted himself and with a stroke of his wings, lunged right back at her, slamming into her before she could open the doors. _

_"Are you fucking stupid?" he asked her as he pinned her to the ground. "I just told you the van may be rigged to blow up and you'd risk killing your brother just to open it up anyway? With family like you, who needs enemies?"_

_She glared up at him. "Get of me right now or I'll snap your neck!"_

_"As much as I'd love to see you try, generally speaking, heroes don't kill each other. Only villains do that. So, tell me, are you a hero, or a villain?" Levi challenged._

_"Neither. I only do anything I have to in order to protect my brother."_

_"How very noble of you," Levi sneered. "Seems you didn't do a very good job though did you? What's the matter? Can't stay awake 24/7 to watch him every second? Or did you have to go take a long shit?"_

_She screeched in frustration and threw him off. "You goddamned evil little pipsqueak!" she seethed. "You're probably with the ones who kidnapped Eren, aren't you?"_

_"If I was, why would I be working so hard to prevent you from possibly blowing him up?" Levi countered as he landed on his feet after being thrown. _

_"I can shield him," the girl stated._

_"I highly doubt he's in that van anyway. I've seen you fight before. Super strength or not, you aren't fast enough to shield anyone from a sudden explosion and you're not impact resistant, so you wouldn't survive an explosion anyway. You're too rash. You act without thinking. You let your emotions cloud your judgement. It's going to get you killed. Worse still, it could get your brother killed."_

_She growled openly at him. He was right, of course, but she wasn't going to admit that to him._

_"I have a teammate on the way that'll be able to tell us if the van is rigged to explode. Just have a little patience." When she continued to glare silently at him, he continued with a bored tone. "Evil little pipsqueak, huh? Not bad. Most original name I've been called in a long while. Still doesn't beat 'Little box of grumps', but it's a close second. Shows a little imagination at least. Still, Asshole might be easier."_

_"You're beyond an asshole," she bit off._

_"I try."_

_Finally, the Scouts' van pulled into the alley and Bloodhound stepped out. "It's rigged to blow alright," he said as he strode towards them. "Enough C4 in there to take out the entire block. No people, though."_

_"So, they must have left Eren somewhere else," Levi concluded. "I'll have Codex go through the footage again and see where all the gaps in coverage are. He'll likely be in one of those locations."_

_The girl immediately took to the air and flew back the way the van had come. _

_Levi growled softly. "That bitch is gonna be trouble. I'd better follow her. She damn near opened that van and blew up the entire block. Have Faerie come and disarm this thing." With that he flew off after her. She must have known at least one spot that was not covered by any security cameras at all, because she went straight to an old set of row houses that had been converted into businesses. _

_He was still too far away to stop her when he saw her go down the steps to a basement entrance, bend over and pick up a beanie she found – presumably Eren's – then kick the door down. It had been another trap. The explosion sent her slamming up into a parked delivery truck beside the road._

_Levi landed beside her. The girl was out cold, blood running from a cut above her right eye and from both ears. "What did I just get done telling you about not thinking before you act?" he questioned. He gathered her in his arms and flew directly to Sina General and Dr. Beringer. _

* * *

"Is she okay?" Eren asked in horror.

"She's fine. Dr. Beringer specializes in treating Supers, and he'll keep her identity secret better than she does," Levi answered. "That she-wolf is a ticking time bomb. Even I can't remember ever being that reckless."

"I don't think I've ever seen anyone that reckless," The Commander said.

"I think it's because she watched her parents killed. She had abandonment issues. She had no one but my parents and me after that, and then Dad disappeared, and Mom died . . . she's always been overprotective of me, but it's gotten worse each time a family member leaves. It's kind of smothering sometimes, to be honest," Eren explained. Then he yawned.

"You should get some sleep, Eren. You can use one of the sofas over there. The rest of us are going home, but Raven has the apartment upstairs, so you won't be alone. This place is secure, so you'll be safe here," The Commander told Eren.

Eren yawned again and nodded. "Thank you."

"By the way. Nice robe," Bloodhound commented as Eren got up from the table.

Eren whined in embarrassment. "It was the only clean one that fit," he mumbled as he shuffled over to the sofa.

"I'm going down to put his clothes into the dryer. I'll take the little shit home in the morning . . . or afternoon . . . whenever he wakes up," Levi said.

Mike followed Levi out of the room. "Geez. You're being an even bigger asshole than usual to the poor guy. You're gonna scare him away."

"That's the point, Sniffy," Levi replied. "Damn kid's horny as a teenager and I have the misfortune of being the current subject of his attraction, which is no doubt based on nothing more than his childish hero worship. The way I see it, the bigger an asshole I am to him, the less attractive I'll seem."

"So, he really jacked off in the shower to you?" Mike asked with obvious amusement.

"Don't remind me," Levi groaned. "Hormonal little shit. There are times when Super hearing is every bit as much a curse as Super smell can be. I can't unhear that. Why couldn't it have been the Commander he's attracted to? Seriously. There's absolutely nothing appealing about a short, dark, scary little asshole like me."

Mike chuckled. "Oh, I don't know. You've go more going for you in the looks department than I do."

"Pfft! Please. I've got nothing on that blonde mountain. Tall, muscular, perfectly coiffed hair and eyebrows, blue eyes and charm to melt solid rock – that big blond oaff is a much better subject for wet dreams than I am."

"Maybe Eren's just really into short, dark and scary. I mean, look at his sister."

Levi stopped dead in his tracks and looked Mike in the eye for a moment. "You just totally made everything worse," he said dully. "You're telling me he has a sister complex, so he fantasizes about me because I remind him of her? Gross."

Mike burst out laughing. "That's not quite what I meant, but when you put it that way . . ."

* * *

Eren woke up to find his clothes neatly folded on the coffee table by the sofa he was sleeping on. He also noticed his backpack on the floor by the sofa. _Huh. They must have picked it up from where I dropped it at school and brought it here._ Eren dug out his phone and turned it on. _Good. Still half the battery left! _

Levi, who'd fallen asleep in the chair behind Erwin's desk, jolted awake when Eren's distressed shriek pierced the air. The Super was on his feet, gun drawn in under a second. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" he shouted at Eren.

"I've already missed my first two classes!" Eren yelped as he dropped the robe he'd been wearing, seemingly oblivious to Levi's presence and the commanding view of his ass he'd just given the Super and began yanking on his clothes.

"You have classes on Sundays?" _Hot damn, that ass . . . shut the fuck up, Levi!_

Eren froze, one pant leg on. "Oh. Right. Sunday. Oops."

"Tch! Idiot." Levi headed into the kitchen to make coffee. Once he had the coffee maker going, he retreated to his apartment bathroom to take care of the problem he'd developed upon seeing Eren naked. _What is wrong with me? I don't care how old he is – why am I so attracted to him? Brats are definitely NOT what I'm into! I'm certainly not sexually frustrated. My sex life is phenomenal. So why does this hormonal little shit turn me on so easily?_

Levi showered and put on a pair of black jeans and a black t-shirt with his usual combat boots. Placing his mask back on, he went back downstairs to find Eren sitting on one of the sofas fidgeting. "Coffee?" Levi asked.

Eren was on his feet in an instant. "Please!"

In the kitchen, Levi handed Eren a to-go cup and pointed to the coffee maker. "Help yourself. Sugar's in the jar beside it and we have cream in the fridge."

"Thanks." Eren fixed his coffee the way he liked it. He took a couple of sips as he watched Levi fix his own coffee. "Um . . . I don't quite know how to ask this, but . . . um . . . could you bring me to the hospital instead of home?"

"To see your sister? Fine. Whatever. Let's get going." Levi put a cover on his coffee and led the way down to his car.

"Where's the van?" Eren asked.

"I refuse to use that thing until Codex cleans it to my standards," Levi stated. "If you spill that coffee in my car, you **_will_** die."

Eren swallowed visibly as he got into the grey Soul. The vehicle was as spotlessly clean as the day it rolled out of the factory – probably cleaner. It smelled of the lemon and lavender cleaners Levi used. Eren knocked his feet together to remove loose sand and gravel from the soles before he put his feet into the car. Though it looked normal on the outside, it was clear on the inside that the vehicle had been modified.

They rode in awkward silence to the hospital, Eren afraid to say anything and Levi just not caring to. He pulled up to the main entrance to let Eren out. The student seemed rather fidgety as he got out. Instead of closing the door and going inside, he turned around and looked back in while holding the door open. "Um . . . thanks for everything, but . . . um . . . could you maybe wait for me? I mean, Mikasa texted me that she's supposed to be released today, and I don't have any way to get her home."

Levi rolled his eyes. "Do I look like a taxi service to you?"

Eren looked like a kicked puppy. "No. But we really can't afford one and she can't fly for a while. Please?"

"Oh, for fuck's sake. Fine. Just hurry up."

He was madder than a hornet when Eren finally came out with an orderly pushing Mikasa in a wheelchair nearly two hours later. The girl was wearing a cast on her leg, had her right arm in a sling, had a bandage around her head and a neck-brace on. She glared at Levi with contempt as the orderly helped her into the front passenger seat. "What is **_HE_** doing here?" she asked Eren angrily.

"Mikasa!" Eren yelped. "He saved my life and he was kind enough to bring me here and then wait for us when I asked him to take us home."

"Forget it, brat. She won't listen to you. Listening isn't one of her strong suits," Levi said.

"Eren, get me out of here. We're taking a cab," Mikasa demanded.

Eren closed the door and got into the back seat behind her. "Nope. Can't afford it. Raven's an asshole, I get it, but he's still going out of his way to help us out, so show a little gratitude," he scolded.

"Let's get one thing straight right now, you mangy she-wolf; yes, I'm an asshole, but the fact is that if you'd listened to me and hadn't gone rushing head-long into that building without thinking first, you wouldn't be in this situation right now. I don't believe in sugar coating the truth to avoid hurt feelings, so suck it up, get over it and for fuck's sake, learn from it," Levi reprimanded.

Mikasa sat back with a huff but said nothing more.

The drive to their apartment was quiet but for Eren's occasional directions. When Eren got out and opened Mikasa's door, he turned and looked at the stairs up to their third-floor apartment, then to the ground and finally to look pleadingly at Levi.

Levi rolled his eyes with an exasperated sigh and got out. Mikasa glared daggers at the small man as he effortlessly lifted her from the car and followed Eren up to the apartment. He could feel the contempt radiating off her. Per Eren's instructions, Levi gently set her in a large recliner chair. He turned to leave without a word but was nearly run over by a blond whirlwind exploding into the room and almost knocking Eren over.

"EREN! THANK GOD! WHAT HAPPENED? ARE YOU ALRIGHT?"

Eren returned the crushing embrace. "I'm fine, Armin. The Scouts saved me. Mikasa's home too."

The blond turned to see Mikasa in the chair. "How are you feeling, Mika?"

"I'm okay."

"Liar. She has a broken leg, sprained shoulder, hairline fracture in her skull and a bad case of whiplash," Eren countered. "It's a good thing Raven Knight was there to take her to the hospital right away. She's gonna be out of commission for a few weeks."

"Well, at least the streets will be safer for a few weeks, then, with that hothead laid up," Levi stated.

Mikasa snarled at him and the blond, Armin, looked at him in awe. "Wow! You're really Raven Knight!" He grabbed Levi's hand and shook it vigorously. "It's really great to meet you. Thank you so much for saving my two best friends! I'm sorry about Mikasa. She's not very social outside of Eren and me. She'd kind of like a mother bear when it comes to Eren's safety, so please don't hold her rudeness against her."

"It's not her rudeness I have a problem with," Levi stated. "It's her recklessness and complete disregard for the safety of the citizens around her that bothers me. If she wants to get herself killed out there, I don't have a problem with that, but if she gets innocent civilians killed in the process like she nearly did the other night, I have a very big problem with it. Do it again, She-wolf, and I'll permanently disable you so that you **_can't_** do it again." With those harsh words, he turned and left. _Hange's right. Armin _**does**_ look like a blond coconut._


	16. Chapter 16

The Key

"Fucking Eyebrows. Putting me on babysitting duty. Is there anything in this world as boring as watching a college kid live his dull, boring, non-existent life?" Levi grumbled as he sat atop the roof of the university's Earth Sciences building. Though alert, he was none-the-less bored out of his skull. The loud clatter of a trash can getting knocked over as a barking dog chased a cat over by the dorms barely garnered more than a bored glanced from the Super.

Erwin's theory was that Levi's presence alone would deter anyone from attempting to grab Eren while Mikasa was out of action. _Bullshit. I know Titan has Supers more than capable of overpowering me. I'm not infallible. Harbinger proved that._ He finally spotted Eren coming out of the building's main entrance, locking the door behind him. _Can't believe the dumbass actually volunteered to stay so late working on an experiment, knowing he'd have to walk home after dark, alone, and with Titan after him. Could he be any more fucking clueless?_

Levi followed the student, gliding silently from rooftop to rooftop. It didn't take long to notice someone else following the young man. Eren must have heard someone following him, because he picked up his pace. So too did the shadow following him. Levi noted another coming in across the park Eren was walking by, and another still from the alley across the street.

This time, Levi flew across the road, swooping low and making sure he was noticed. The three shadows immediately retreated. Moments later, he landed behind Eren, but was greeted by the younger taking one step back, turning and throwing a punch at him. Levi easily caught the fist in his hand.

Eren looked at him in surprise. "Raven!" He let out a huff of relief. "Thank Sina! I thought you were one of those Titan people!"

"Keep your voice down, brat," Levi hushed. "Don't talk of them aloud outside of headquarters. And they **_were_** following you. Three of them. They took off in a hurry once they saw me."

"Oh. Thanks, I guess. So, what are you doing here?"

"Following you so you don't get your sorry ass kidnapped again. Commander thought it was a good idea to give you a babysitter. Looks like he was right."

"Oh. I guess maybe he was. Usually Mikasa always meets me when I'm done with school for the day. She'd fly me home if it was after dark, like tonight. Guess I kind of forgot about how dangerous it is for me out there now. I was just elated to have a little freedom. Kinda nice to not have her breathing down my neck all the time, you know?" Eren explained.

"No. I don't. Never been smothered before."

Eren chuckled as he resumed walking towards home. "Heh. I don't recommend it. I mean, she's my sister an all, and I love her dearly, but I wish I could have some time to myself without her hovering over me all the time. I'm just so sick of being treated like some fragile baby that can't do anything for himself. I can take care of myself, you know."

"You mean that punch back there?" Levi questioned dubiously. "It had potential. You need more training, though."

"Would you train me, then?"

Levi inwardly face-palmed. _I just totally walked myself into that one, didn't I?_ "Wouldn't it be better if The Commander or Codex trained you?"

"But you're a better fighter than they are. I mean, The Commander is so much stronger than most of his opponents, and Codex uses a lot of tech. You use real hand to hand combat skills. I suppose Codex would do in a pinch, but you're still a lot better," Eren explained.

"Perhaps. But I'm a shitty teacher and I don't mind saying so," Levi countered. "Why hasn't your sister taught you? You should ask her."

"Um . . . I don't have brute strength like she does. That's all she relies on. Besides, she says I don't need to learn because she'll protect me." Eren rolled his eyes. "She drives me nuts sometimes. You'd think I was royal or something. Can't go anywhere without my bodyguard. Ugh!"

Levi sighed audibly. "Fine. We'll give it a try. Don't get your hopes up, though. Like I said, I'm a shitty teacher with zero patience. What time do you get out of classes tomorrow?"

"3:30"

"I'll pick you up in front of the Earth Sciences building then. Try not to be late."

"Yes!" Eren did a fist pump, then looked at Levi with embarrassment. "Um . . . I mean . . . thank you. See you tomorrow, then." Having arrived outside his apartment building, he waved as he ran up the stairs.

Levi shook his head as he took a perch at the peak of the roof to keep watch. "What the fuck have I gotten myself into?"

* * *

The following afternoon, Eren all but ran out of the Earth Sciences building. He recognized the grey Kia Soul parked in front, but not the driver. The driver, wearing a hoodie with the hood pulled up over a baseball cap and dark glasses opened up the passenger's window. "Don't just stand there gawking, brat. Get in."

Recognizing the voice – and the annoying nickname – Eren was satisfied that it really was Raven Knight driving the car and got in. "Sorry. Didn't recognize you. Wondered if maybe you were one of Titan's people."

"At least you seem to have **_some_** smarts. Your caution is well warranted. However, I'd rather not be seen in the daytime and definitely not cavorting with a civilian. I'd rather not draw any more attention to you than you already have," Levi explained. "By the way, put this on."

Eren took the blindfold Levi held out to him and put it on. "Where are we going?"

"Headquarters, obviously. The locker room has a gym that will do for our purposes."

A half hour later, Eren, having changed into a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt, entered the gym and found Levi already warming up. Eren had all he could do not to drool over the sight. Levi was dressed in a pair of jogging pants that, while somewhat loose, still managed to show off the curve of his ass quite nicely, and a black tank top that fully revealed the powerful musculature of the man's arms and shoulders. _Oh, what I wouldn't give to be able to suck on that neck and those collarbones, _Eren thought.

"If you're quite done drooling, perhaps we could get started?" Levi asked dully.

Eren swallowed and flushed red. "Sorry. Wait . . . where's your mask?"

Levi deadpanned at the younger man. "Obviously I'm not wearing it. Do you want to learn how to fight or not?"

"Yes, sir. Sorry."

"Fine then. And the name is Levi. I sure as hell haven't earned the right to be called sir by anyone; least of all you."

"Sorry, si- . . . uh, Levi."

Levi rolled his eyes. "I need to assess how much . . . or rather, how little you know. I want you to come at me with everything you have. I won't be hitting back, so don't hold back. If you do, I **_will _**knock you on your ass."

Eren was quick on the uptake. Before Levi even finished talking, the student took a swing at him. Feet spread shoulder width apart, Eren threw all of his weight into the punch with his right hand. Levi easily sidestepped the attack but was watching closely. Eren followed up instantly with a punch with the left. He swung too hard and stumbled slightly.

For now, Levi was only watching, so he didn't penalize the boy for his mistake. After a few minutes of Eren throwing a series of kicks and punches at the Super and missing every time, Levi caught Eren's right leg as the man attempted to land a kick on him. He caught Eren's left fist with his other hand. "You need a lot of work," was all he said.

"Well, duh! That's why I asked you to train me!" Eren retorted, trying to hold his balance with his leg and arm both trapped.

Levi sighed and shook his head. "You have potential but will likely be killed long before you ever reach it."

"Gee. Thanks. But I can't reach my potential if no one teaches me."

Levi began to lecture the man as he circled him slowly. "Your first punch was actually not too bad, but your follow through sucked. Your position was good for that one hit, but not for a second with the opposite hand, and you didn't adjust your stance to account for that. Your feet and hands have to always work together. Your alignment for balance while kicking is beyond atrocious. You seem to be able to make one hit decently after each reset, but every hit after is clumsy until you reset again. You pause too much between strikes; you opponent won't give you the chance to reposition yourself. They'll cut you down while your off balance and at a disadvantage. You also seem to have no concept of defense. You need to be able to flow seamlessly from one hit to the next; use your momentum to carry you into your next move. You need to watch your opponent for weaknesses and exploit them, because I guarantee you they will be doing the same to you. You need to know your own weaknesses and compensate for them. Determination alone isn't going to win you a fight. This isn't the movies or one of those anime things you kids seem to like watching. If you really want to learn how to win a fight for your life, then you're gonna have to put in a lot of hours of training. The only way to get good at fighting is to practice; to repeat the movements over and over so often that your body memorizes what it needs to do without you having to think about it. You think you can handle that kind of training?"

Eren had a very serious look of determination on his face. "Determination alone won't win a fight, but it **_will _**carry me through the training, so I can win a fight."

"You're not gonna like it, kid. The best way to learn is through experience, which means you're gonna have to watch me closely as I beat the shit out of you, so you can replicate those attacks. Still want to learn?"

Eren swallowed visibly. "Better beaten than dead."

"Your sister's gonna be pissed."

"Too bad."

"It may even interfere with your studies."

Eren glared at him. "You can stop trying to talk me out of this. I'm not going to just sit back and let those monsters in Titan turn me into a scared mouse hiding in a hole somewhere while other people are fighting and dying to protect me! I won't do that. I can't do that. I don't even know what those assholes want, but damned if I'm going to let them walk all over me. I'm going to fight. If I don't fight, I can't win. If I can't win, then I'll die. I REFUSE TO DIE!"

Levi stopped circling as soon as Eren began is tirade. He raised a slender eyebrow slightly. "Not bad."

"So, are you going to teach me or not?"

"I'll teach you. But you damn well better not disappoint me by giving up when the going gets rough."

"I won't, Levi."

Three hours later, showered and back in their regular clothes, Levi dragged an exhausted Eren up to the common room for dinner. "Hey. I brought a stray brat in for supper," Levi announced.

"Not a brat," Eren said flatly.

"Eren! Where'd you get that black eye?!" Codex yelped.

"I ducked when I should have weaved," he answered. "Raven's teaching me to fight."

"They all know my name, Eren."

"Oh."

Ymir strode confidently up to the brunette and held out her hand for a shake. "Hey, Eren. I'm Ymir, buy you probably know me as T-BAB."

Eren accepted the offered hand. "Wow! It's great to meet you in person! So, if you don't mind my asking, what does T-BAB mean?"

Ymir stuck out her chest and held her head high with pride. "Totally Bad Ass Bitch."

"And there isn't a crook out there that wouldn't agree with that. Hi, Eren. I'm Faerie, but while we're at headquarters, you can call me Krista."

"WOW! You're even prettier in person!"

Krista blushed. "Aw! You made her blush!" Ymir cooed. "Isn't she adorable when she blushes?"

"Ymir! Stop!" Krista squeaked.

A medium woman with blond hair stepped up to Eren. "I'm Static but call me Nanaba here. That was my bathrobe you wore the other night."

Now it was Eren's turn to blush. "I'm never gonna live that down, am I?"

"Not a chance!" Nanaba chirped as she returned to the kitchen. "Hope you're hungry, Eren. I made enough lasagna for an army!"

Codex came up and shook Eren's hand enthusiastically. "I know we already met. My real name is Hange, but you can call me Hange."

"They also answer to Four-Eyes," Levi interjected.

The Commander and Bloodhound approached. "You can call me Erwin. But only when my mask is off."

"And I'm Mike."

"Or, respectively, Eyebrows and Sniffy. Oh, and if you ever feel brave enough to piss off Nanaba, call her either Cling, or Bananaba."

"I heard that you short little asshole!" Nanaba shouted from the kitchen.

Erwin shook his head in amusement at the nicknames.

"So, what are your nicknames?" Eren asked Levi.

"Asshole, Short-Stack, Shorty," Levi replied. "My personal favorites are Little-Box-of-Grumps that Hange calls me, and more recently from your sister, Evil Little Pipsqueak. So, take your pick, brat."

Everyone in the room looked at Levi with raised eyebrows at the last one, then burst out laughing. "Don't let his rude, irritable exterior fool you, Eren," Ymir told him as she threw her arm around his shoulders. "That man **_does_** have a sense of humor."

"So, what's your nickname?"

"Bitch, of course. Sometimes he calls me Freckles. Krista is Sparky or Butterfly Girl."

"So, how'd I get stuck with 'Brat'?" Eren sulked.

"I just call 'em like I see 'em," Levi answered.

"Not a brat," Eren mumbled with a frown to no one in particular.

"Din, din!" Nanaba called with a very put-on southern accent as she carried in a huge pan of lasagna and placed it in the middle of the table. "Come n' get it while it's hot, y'all!" Eren's stomach growled audibly at the sight of lasagna, garlic bread and salad on the table.

Eren couldn't believe he was actually having dinner with the Scouts. He'd looked up to these Super Heroes for years, and now he was eating with them in their headquarters. _Too bad I can never tell my friends about this. They'd freak with jealousy! Oh, my god . . . I'm thinking like a bloody teenager. No wonder Levi calls me a brat. BUT THIS IS JUST SOOOOO COOL!_

"Eren."

The young man was startled out of his thoughts by the shock of Levi calling him by his name. "Huh?"

"Tone down the excitement. You keep all your thoughts and emotions right at the surface and it's giving me a headache."

Eren stared at the Super blankly for a moment. "Wait. You can read minds?"

"Not without putting some effort into it, and even then, it's usually just emotions as opposed to actual thoughts. However, if someone nearby is experiencing very strong emotions or wears their heart on their sleeve like you do, I end up picking up on their emotions whether I'm trying to or not," Levi explained. "About the only real benefit to this ability is that I can tell when people are lying. Sometimes I can use it to detect people in trouble too."

"Oh. I'm sorry. That can't be an easy thing to live with," Eren sympathized.

If there was one thing Levi truly hated, it was pity and sympathy, and Eren was currently radiating sympathy. "Can the sympathies, kid. Save it for someone who actually wants it." He stood up from the table, having not even touched his food. "You take the kid home tonight, Codex. I'll be by to take over babysitting duties at midnight."

"Levi," Erwin called after him, but the man ignored him completely, retreating to his apartment.

_Damn it! _Levi thought in disgust. _What the fuck is wrong with me? The kid was just expressing genuine compassion and I damn near take his head off. Well, at least now this will cement his hate for me. The more he hates me, the better. It's bad enough I've let myself get so close to Hange and Erwin. Hange's the only one I really consider a friend, though. I trust the others, but I wouldn't call them friends. And Erwin's a good fuck, but I still wouldn't call him a friend. Hange can handle themselves, so I don't worry too much. But Eren . . . he's too much of a risk to be friends with. My friends tend to get killed around me . . . like Izzy and Farlan did. It's for his own good. So why do I feel like shit for giving him a hard time? Never had a problem with it before. So, what makes Eren Fucking Jaeger so goddamn special? Great. Now I'm pissed again. Do men get monthly p.m.s. like women do? Have to ask Hange about that. Might explain the mood swings . . . maybe the loss of my train of thought too. Maybe I'm just too frustrated. _In a moment of pure irritated frustration, Levi threw a solid punch into the bag hanging from the rafters. It felt so good that he threw another, then a kick.

It was almost 45 minutes later when he finally stopped, drenched in sweat and breathing hard. He glared at the bag for moment as if it had offended him, then turned to go shower.

It was just before midnight when he landed on the roof of Eren's apartment building to take over watch from Codex. "What've you got against Eren?" they asked him, point blank.

"What? Why should I treat him any differently than anyone else?"

"That's why I'm asking. You're treating him worse than everyone else!"

"Tch!"

"Seriously, Raven. You're not usually like this."

Levi sighed. "I know. The little shit's attracted to me and has this idiotic case of hero worship. It's best for him if he doesn't get too close to me."

"Best for him, or best for you?" they contested.

Another sigh. "Both. I don't need any friends. Friends die around me."

"So, your saying I'm not a friend?" Codex sounded hurt.

"You're the one exception, Codex. Besides, you can take care of yourself, so I don't worry too much. Your brains can get you out of most scrapes."

"What about The Commander and Bloodhound? Or Static, Faerie and T-BAB?"

"…I trust them."

Codex regarded him sadly. "You know, just because you don't actually call them friends, doesn't mean they aren't your friends. What you call them has no bearing on how much you care about them and it won't make it hurt any less if they leave us. You're only fooling yourself."

Levi didn't answer. They were usually right, but he wasn't ready to admit it in this instance.

A few minutes after Codex left, Eren came up the stairs that ran up the side of the apartment house to the roof. "And just what the fuck do you think you're doing?" Levi growled at him in greeting.

"Um . . . well . . . I wanted to know if, you know, if we were going to continue my training tomorrow?" Eren stammered out.

"You really want to keep training with me? What are you, some kind of masochist?"

"No. I just want to learn and you're the best I know," Eren replied. "Besides, it gives me extra time away from Mikasa. She's a horrible patient. Worse still, she's still always trying to protect me from everything and do everything for me or at least tell me how to do everything. She's like this helicopter parent on steroids."

"Helicopter parent?"

"Yeah. She's always hovering around."

Levi let out a sound that may or may not have been a squelched laugh. "I see."

"Sooo . . . are we on for tomorrow? I'll bring some stuff and make dinner for everyone," Eren bribed. "I make a killer Jamaican Chile."

Levi groaned. "Fine. Either Codex or myself will pick you up outside of the university tomorrow."

Eren fairly near bubbled with barely contained excitement. "Great! But make it out by the main gate at 2:15. I have one less class tomorrow."

* * *

Eren's training went quite smoothly. He was a fast learner. Levi began adding in lessons on being aware of one's surroundings and noticing little details by randomly adding or removing objects from the gym or in the common room or just by rearranging things. Eren was expected to mention any changes he noticed as soon as he walked into a room. He was rapidly getting faster at noticing any changes. As for Eren himself, he was just loving being able to spend time with the Scouts, and especially with Levi.

Then one day about a month after his kidnapping, all hell broke loose at the college. Eren was walking across the campus green, just like the day he'd been kidnapped, but this time he noticed something out of the ordinary at the edge of his vision. He turned to see a half dozen people striding towards him, all wearing masks like the three from before.

_I may be just a geeky bookworm, but I'm not defenseless anymore. Yeah, one month is not a lot of training, but at least I'm not _**completely**_ defenseless, _he thought as he turned to face his attackers. They hesitated when he faced them directly. _Typical predators. Relying on the element of surprise, but not sure what to do when the prey confronts them._

Students scattered, many trying to call for help on their phones. "Eren! There's no signal!" Armin yelped in alarm. "Both wi-fi and cell service is down!"

"Get away from here, Armin!" Eren shouted as the six masked assailants charged him. He put everything Levi had taught him into practice. _Keep the right shoulder aligned over the left hip when kicking. When throwing a hook, use the momentum to follow up with a roundhouse kick. This is a fight for my life; ALWAYS hit below the belt. Use the momentum to keep moving and keep hitting constantly. Don't give them a chance to recover, because they sure as hell aren't going to give me one!_

One of the attackers cried out in pain as a head-on punch broke his nose. He tore off his mask, which looked like a doped-up junkie, and tried to quell the bleeding while he gasped for air. Eren looked at his face in shock. _I KNOW him! He's in my advanced chemistry class with me!_ The next thing he knew, three of the five remaining assailants grabbed his arms, neck and chest, restraining him. _FUCK! Rule number one; NEVER let yourself get distracted – by anything!_ Eren mentally berated himself.

"Alright, kid. You're gonna give us the key and tell us where your daddy hid the formula," one of the attackers stated as he approached with a syringe in hand. "But first, you're gonna take a nap while we find someplace a little more private to talk. And don't worry. Your sister won't be coming to bail you out."

"What did you do to her?" Eren snarled furiously.

"Not your problem, right now," the man sneered as he reached out to take hold of Eren's arm to inject whatever was in the syringe. He never got the chance, however. A large black streak whipped by, taking the man with it and slamming him into a nearby tree.

The others stared at their fallen comrade in shock. Then they noticed the figure that was crouched, facing them just a few yards away, wings raised and ready to attack again. He wasn't in his usual costume, however. He wore his mask, of course, but instead of the costume, he wore a simple pair of dark blue jeans, a dark grey t-shirt and a black denim jacket. "Aw hell!" a female kidnapper cursed. "Didn't think he'd be around in the day!"

Levi straightened and walked slowly towards them. "I'm like a bad case of the shits. I always come out at the worst times possible."

"I'm not afraid of Raven Knight. He's not infallible," one of the men sneered as he raised his gun.

Levi could easily see that it was a dart gun. _Have to take it back to Hange to find out what poison is in it._ As the man fired, Levi began his attack, shifting to the left then forward so fast that it created the illusion of an after-image behind him. In just ten seconds, the remaining five assailants were unconscious.

While Eren stood in open-mouthed awe, Levi casually pulled a plastic zip bag from the inside pocket of his jacket and placed six blue capsules in it, having removed them from the assailants' mouths as he took them down. "These six won't be committing suicide like the last ones," he commented as he began to restrain all of them with zip ties. He tossed his phone to Eren, who miraculously snapped out of his daze enough to catch it. "Call Codex. They're in my contacts. Tell them to bring the van to pick up the trash."

Students, having fled the scene and hidden, were now coming out and gathering around at a safe distance to see what had happened. Levi rolled his eyes as he heard whispers of, "Oh, my god! That's Raven Knight!", "Isn't he dreamy?", "I can't believe I just got to see Raven Knight take out a bunch of bad guys!", "I know! He's totally bad-ass!", "Raven Knight is soooo cool!" and his personal favorite, "I wish it'd been The Commander instead; he's so handsome!"

He ignored them as he turned to Eren. "Hey. You okay?"

"Yeah. I think so," Eren replied. "I'm really sorry. I let myself get distracted. I know the guy without the mask. He's a student here."

"I see," Levi acknowledged. "Don't be too hard on yourself. For only a month of training, you didn't do too bad."

"But not good enough," Eren groused. "I need a lot more training and practice. It's a good thing you showed up. Speaking of which, why are you here? Do you ever sleep?"

"Not very well, usually. But in answer to your question, I was dropping something off for Codex. I'll explain later when there are no ears around."

Armin came running up. "Eren! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Armin."

"I finally got far enough away to get a couple of bars. The police are on their way."

Finally, the Scouts' van pulled up on the green beside them. "Someone call for a trash pick-up?" Codex asked cheerfully.

Levi rolled his eyes. "Yeah. These five tried to get Eren again. We need to get them back to headquarters. Probably better take Eren with us to be on the safe side."

"No! Wait! My sister! They said my sister wouldn't be coming to save me this time as if they'd done something to her. I have to go check on her!" Eren was already running towards home.

"They did something to Mikasa?!" Armin cried out in alarm as he ran after Eren.

Levi took to the air. "Damn impulsive kids," he grumbled.

He arrived at the apartment long before Eren and Armin. Levi crouched outside the door, gun drawn and ready for ambush. He cautiously opened the door which led into the kitchen. Seeing and hearing no one but a television he began to move through the home. He found Mikasa on the sofa in the living room, the television running loudly on some old black and white western (well, at least loud by Levi's standards). He checked her pulse. _Still alive. But her skin's cold and clammy. Looks like a needle puncture on her neck. How the fuck did anyone sneak up on her like that? Either she's a heavy sleeper, or the television drowned out any noises. It seems to loud to me, but I think it's at a normal volume for most people. Still . . . _

Levi gathered her up in his arms and flew straight to the hospital. He was grateful that Beringer seemed to always be at the hospital no matter what time of day it was. He brought Mikasa into a treatment room indicated by the doctor and laid her on the exam table. "She's been poisoned. There's a puncture on the left side of her neck. Skin is cold and clammy, pupils unresponsive, breathing shallow, pulse weak and thready. May have been injected as long as an hour ago."

Beringer examined the puncture wound. "Hmm. That's not a needle puncture. Looks more like a thorn or claw puncture. We may be looking at a biological toxin or venom of some kind. Nurse, give her .5ccs epinephrine. Run a cbc, arterial blood gasses and check for all known venoms and plant toxins. Better check for drugs and known poisons as well."

Knowing that the girl was in good hands, Levi left the hospital. He returned to the apartment just as a winded Eren and gasping Armin showed up. "You're just getting here?!" Eren yelped between huffs.

"I just got back from the hospital," Levi answered, looking at Armin who was terribly red in the face and looked ready to collapse. "Am I gonna have to take the blond coconut there too? He looks and sounds ready to die."

Unable to talk, Armin just shook his head no. "Mikasa. What happened?" Eren demanded.

"Poisoned while she was watching television. I got her to Doc. Beringer, so she should be alright." Levi went inside and drew a couple of glasses of water, handing them to the two students. Armin took his with two hands after he flopped onto one of the chairs at the kitchen table and gasped out a breathy thanks.

Eren drank down his water in one go, then just sat with a shocked expression on his face. The emotions radiating off him were a confused mix of fear, anger, grief, guilt and outrage. "Why?" he finally asked. "Why is this happening? We're not hurting anyone. We're just trying to live our lives like normal people do. We don't have any earth shattering knowledge. Dad abandoned us when we were still kids, so why should anything he did affect us? Why?"

"I don't know, Eren," Levi said gently. "But I don't think here is the place to talk about it. You, Coconut. You're name's Armin, right?"

"Um. Yeah." Armin replied, now breathing more normally and looking a little less red in the face.

"Do you have someplace else you can stay for a while? I rather doubt that it's safe for you here."

"I can stay with Jean and Marco. Jean's mom is always telling us to stay with them anytime we want."

"Good. Pack a bag quickly and get over there. Eren, I'm afraid you'll have to hang out at headquarters until we can figure out something better."

An hour later, Eren looked very unhappy when he set his duffel bag down by the sofa in the common room of Scout headquarters. The Commander, however, looked very pleased. "One of those Titans you took down is Satre. I believe he has contact with the upper levels of Titan. Well done, Levi."

"Doubt he'll talk," Levi responded.

"We'll see," The Commander said as he turned to Eren. "Eren, I'm glad you're okay. I'm sorry your sister got dragged into this. Luckily Levi got to her in time and Beringer says she's responding to treatment even though he hasn't been able to isolate the poison used."

"A key."

"Pardon?"

Eren stood there with a distant, pondering look on his face. "The guy with the needle – he asked me for a key."

"Do you know what he was talking about?" Erwin asked, now very interested.

Eren shook his head. "I wish I did, but . . . I mean, I was only 8 when Dad abandoned us. Even when he was around I hardly ever saw him because he was always working. When he was home, he worked down in the basement and kept it locked at all times so Mika and I wouldn't go down there. But most of the time he was making house calls, working at a clinic or God only knows what."

"And He ain't tellin'," Levi added dryly.

"I wonder what was in that basement. Could they mean a key to get into that basement?" Erwin mused.

"I doubt it. The basement would have been destroyed when the building burned after Mom moved us to Mitras. Even if it hadn't, it was just a plain wooden door that anyone could easily break down," Eren replied.

Hange, who'd been working with their computer over in their work area piped up. "1502 South Tupelo Street?"

Eren blinked at them in surprise. "Uh, yeah. That's where we used to live in Shiganshina."

"There's currently a strip mall there. Looks like your place wasn't the only one burned. Be willing to bet that the developer who put in that ugly mall had the homes burned so they could buy up the properties cheap. Hmm . . . thing is, Eren's place went up fully two years before the rest of the block went."

"Honestly, I think maybe either Hannes or even Mom had the place torched to cover our tracks," Eren said. "I mean, Mika and I don't even have birth certificates, and our tax id cards are new ones that Hannes had made up to replace our original ones. The treasury had no record of our originals anywhere. I guess maybe Mom knew that Dad was into something really dangerous, because it seems she and Hannes went to an awful lot of trouble to make us all disappear. I never really thought about it before. But now that I look back, and with all of this happening . . ."

"Maybe it's time we had a little talk with this Hannes friend of yours," Levi suggested.

"Good idea," Erwin agreed. Why don't you take Eren to go talk with Hannes while Mike and I question the six Titans?"

Levi groaned. "You know I'm not worth shit for questioning civilians," he protested. "I'm fine with criminals, but I'm not supposed to scare innocent folks."

"Give yourself some credit, Levi. You'll be fine. I trust you," Erwin countered. "Hange, keep digging around to find out what you can about Dr. Grisha Jaeger's old home, places he worked, property he owned, etcetera."

* * *

It was after dark by the time Levi and Eren got into the van to go talk to Hannes. "He is NOT going to be happy about this," Eren commented uneasily as they pulled into the man's driveway.

"Considering he and your mother apparently went to so much trouble to hide you from Titan, I don't blame him," Levi responded.

Eren nervously knocked on his father-figure's front door. A blond man with a sparse moustache and tired looking eyes opened the door. The man looked like he'd seen more than his share of horrors and hardship in his lifetime. None the less, his face lit up when he saw Eren. "EREN! What a great surprise! Wish you'd come by more often." The man then noticed the Super standing behind Eren down on the steps. "Uh-oh. Do I even want to know?"

"Hey there, Hannes," Eren greeted. "This is Raven Knight from the Scouting Regiment. We should probably talk inside."

Hannes, who'd been slightly red in the nose and cheeks from drinking beer (as evidenced by five empty bottles on the coffee table and a sixth in his hand), was now looking quite pale and sober. "Something tells me this isn't a social call. Had a feelin' you were hiding something from me the last time we talked. So, what's been going on?"

By the time Eren got done telling Hannes everything that had happened to him, the man was ashen in the face. "Dammit. They figured out who you really are. I told Carla we should've changed your last name."

"So, what can you tell us about Grisha Jaeger and Titan?" Levi asked.

Hannes scowled. "Not much. I wish I knew more. Then maybe I could've protected Eren and Mikasa better. I really owe the Doc for everything. He saved my wife from stage 4 cancer; there is no stage 5, you see. He used gene therapy to cure her. He took real good care of my kids too. They were all killed in the riots that broke out in Shiganshina back about 14 years ago; right before the Doc disappeared."

"I seem to recall hearing about those riots in the news," Levi commented. "My uncle told me that it was started because of some city head tax. It only amounted to a dollar per person per month, and the people voted in favor of it. That's why my uncle said that the tax was just an excuse used by someone, whether it was the government or some crime syndicate or even terrorists, to start violence that would eventually lead to a declaration of martial law and closing the city off. Knowing what we know now, Titan is just brazened enough and heartless enough to do such a thing to trap just one person in the city, so they could grab them. Seems like overkill, but I still wouldn't put it past Titan. It would make perfect cover for a disappearance."

"That's what Carla was afraid of," Hannes agreed. "All she knew as what Doc had told her in a note the night he left them. 'Run away. Don't let Titan get their hands on Eren.' He never explained any more than that. I worked for the Shiganshina police department, so I was able to find out that Titan was a global crime syndicate. Most of the information was restricted access, and since I'm no computer whiz, I had to let it go. I did find one notation in a report, however, that scared the shit out of me. 'Per Chief Lars, DO NOT ENGAGE TITAN!' That was when Carla begged me to help her and the kids get out of Shiganshina. None of us had much money, so we couldn't go far. She had a friend she'd once helped, and they owed her a favor. She never mentioned the name, but they were able to erase all records of Carla's and Eren's and Mikasa's existence; birth certificates, medical records, school records, even the tax id numbers. We torched the house and moved up here to Mitras, where I took on a teaching job at the local middle school and claimed Eren and Mikasa as my children by different mothers."

Hannes sighed, his head in his hands. "I'm sorry, Eren. I really owed the Doc and your mother for a lot. Carla made me swear never to tell you the truth. I guess we underestimated how resourceful Titan is. I wish I could tell you more, son, but I just don't have enough information."

"Do you have any idea what Grisha was working on or what might have been in the basement in that house?" Levi asked.

"No. I'm sorry. It was just an ordinary basement when we got down there after he vanished, but there was what looked like a possible door in the cement foundation at the back wall. We couldn't open it, though. There was no handle or knob or keypad or anything, so we dismissed it as a patch job and torched the place. As for what Doc did – he was a doctor, obviously. Not just any doctor, though. He was the kind that made house calls and would accept a loaf of bread or a dozen eggs as payment for his services if they couldn't afford to pay money. He would also do pop-up clinics around town about once a month. He also worked at Croydon University. I think that's where he did his research on the gene therapy for cancer that he saved my wife with. Human life meant everything to that man, Raven. He would NEVER have gone in with an organization like Titan."

"Titan isn't known for giving people a choice. Those who don't work with them willingly are taken by force. That would explain why Grisha disappeared and told his wife to hide. Chances are they approached him to try to get him to join them of his own free will. He must have realized the danger of refusing them, so he separated himself from his family and disappeared."

"What I don't get is why they'd think Eren would know anything. I mean, geez, the poor kid was only 8 when all of this happened."

Eren, who'd been mulling all this new information over in his mind finally spoke. "Say, Hannes, do you remember Mom or Dad leaving a key of some kind for me or Mikasa?"

"A key? You mean like a literal key for a door? Not that I can recall." Hannes thought for a moment, then snapped his fingers. "Wait a sec! Your mother had one she used to wear all the time. Right pretty thing too; fancy gold on a black silk cord. Let me go get the box out of the attic."

A few minutes later, Hannes came back with a simple wooden box with mother-of-pearl butterflies inlayed on the lid. He set the box in front of him on the coffee table and carefully opened it. "I guess it's time I gave this stuff to you anyway, Eren." He pulled out the key on its silk cord. "Always thought this was just a piece of jewelry, and maybe it is, but maybe it's a real key. Who knows what it would go to if it is, though. I never saw her use it, and I never thought to ask." He handed the necklace over to Eren.

"I remember her wearing it. Mikasa asked her about it once. Mom told her it was a gift from Dad," Eren said as he examined the old-fashioned looking key in his hand.

"Here's the funny thing, now that I think of it," Hannes contemplated. "That was still in the jewelry box after she died. She **_always_** wore it, but she wasn't wearing it the day she died."

Eren frowned slightly. "Did she really die in a hit and run accident?"

Hannes closed his eyes and sighed. "I can't say for sure. It's what the officer that came to let me know about the death said, but they'd had the body cremated without an autopsy. I have no doubt they were covering something up, perhaps even the cause of death. They said the body was unrecognizable, but dental records matched. I failed you, Eren. I failed Carla, too. I owed it to her to protect you and Mikasa from Titan at all costs, but with Mikasa turning out to be a Super and you going to university . . . But, dammit! I couldn't keep you two locked up in a bottle all your lives! That would've been wrong!"

"Don't beat yourself up," Levi told the man. "Like you said, Titan is very resourceful and has people everywhere. It's impossible to know who to trust."

"I'm sorry I wasn't much help," Hannes apologized.

"We have more information now than when we arrived," Levi consoled. He pulled a business card from his belt. "Give us a call at this number if you think of anything else. Any small detail could prove to be of great importance. Thank you for your help." He turned and went out to the van, giving Eren a chance to say his goodbyes to Hannes in private.

The ride back to headquarters started in quiet contemplation, but Eren was never one to keep quiet for very long. "Do you always carry your mask around with you? Cuz you had it on at the university, but not your costume. And you told me you'd explain what you were doing there."

"Tch! Do you ever run out of annoying questions?" Levi asked back, shocked by the seeming randomness of the question. "Yes, I always have my mask with me just in case. As for being at the school, Hange forgot the tests they'd graded, and they were so obnoxious with their begging, I gave up and brought the tests over just to shut them up. Satisfied?"

"Yeah. For now," Eren replied. "Good thing you **_were_** there. If you hadn't just happened to be there when Titan came after me, I would be in their hands again and Mika would be dead. Guess I should thank you. That's twice you've saved my ass from those freaks." There wasn't even two minutes of silence before Eren asked another question. "Um . . . I know this is gonna make me sound more stupid than you already think I am, but . . . uh . . . what is Hange? I feel stupid not being able to figure out if they're a man or a woman."

"They are a Hange," was Levi's simple answer.

"Oh. So, people aren't supposed to know. Phew! I just thought I was especially oblivious or something."

"You **_are _**especially oblivious," Levi jabbed.

Eren turned to glare at Levi, who just kept his eyes on the road. "Why do you have to be such an asshole all the time?"

"It keeps people away." _WHY DID I JUST TELL HIM THAT?! What the fuck is wrong with me?_

"That sounds kinda lonely. Why would you want to keep people away?" Eren's glare had changed to an expression of confused concern.

"That's none of your goddamn business," Levi snapped.

Eren sat back in his seat in a huff, arms folded over his chest. "You're not fooling anyone but yourself. I've seen your compassionate side. You care about people, myself included."

Levi took a quick glance in the rearview mirror to make sure on one was close behind him, then slammed on the brakes, bringing the van to a sudden stop. Eren rubbed his chest and shoulder where the seatbelt caught him. "What the – "

"Let's get one thing straight right now, you annoying little piece of shit. Don't go kidding yourself and thinking you know what's really going on in people's minds, so don't presume to know what I'm thinking and feeling. Fact: Right now, you provide a link to a group the Scouts are trying to stop before they turn this world into a complete cluster fuck. I'm the one who's been ordered to babysit your sorry ass and find out just what the link is that you have to Titan. That is the **_only_** reason I'm putting up with you for now. Once this is over and you are safe, I will, mercifully, never have to deal with you again. Capiche?"

Eren looked out the side window so Levi wouldn't see the escaping tears of hurt and frustration. "Capiche."


	17. Chapter 17

Target Practice and a She-Wolf

Eren stormed through the common room, head down, and disappeared into the bathroom near Erwin's corner and slammed the door. In spite of his best efforts, everyone noticed the tears. A few moments later, Levi stalked into the room, clearly in a foul mood.

"Learn anything?" Erwin asked.

"More than I expected, but not enough," Levi replied. "Hannes did confirm that he and Carla torched the house and were hiding from Titan. We also now know that Grisha was running from Titan and had left a note telling Carla that Eren had to be kept away from Titan. No idea why, though. Last, we have a key, but it's just a piece of jewelry Carla always wore. It was a gift from Grisha apparently. Funny thing is, she wasn't wearing it the day she was killed. Moreover, the body was supposedly unrecognizable but for the dental records and it was immediately cremated without anyone's permission. Seems highly suspect to me. Kinda makes me think maybe the key really does go to something and Carla knew it. It also seems that she knew she was about to die."

Erwin sat at his desk, fingers steepled in front of his mouth. "We may want to contact Nile about putting Hannes into protective custody. Where's the key now?"

"Eren has it."

"Hange, when Eren comes out of the bathroom, ask him to let you run some tests on the key. See if you can figure out what it goes to. Also, check to see if it's an electronic device of some kind," Erwin instructed. "From the way Eren came in here and straight to bathroom, I guess what you learned hit him pretty hard."

"Not especially."

"He must have hidden his feelings really well for a change if you didn't pick up on them," Hange said with an accusatory tone. "Cuz he was definitely crying when he came in here."

Levi felt like someone had just twisted a knife in his gut. The flicker of emotion on his face was imperceptible to all but Hange; they noticed the faint change in expression. "Levi, what did you do to him?"

"I told him to mind his own fucking business and stop presuming to know what I think and feel. You guys may want to be friends with the brat, but I don't. He's just a means to an end and the sooner he gets it through that thick, empty skull of his, the better," Levi snapped.

Everyone in the room looked at him in surprise. "Damn, Levi. That's harsh . . . even for you," Ymir commented.

Erwin stood up from his desk, about to say something, but before he could, Hange stalked across the room and grabbed Levi by the elbow, dragging him back to the elevator. "You and I need to have a talk," they stated in a tone that left no room for argument. Frankly, Levi didn't want to argue with them. They were always pretty perceptive, so maybe they could tell him what was wrong with himself.

Once up in the apartment, Hange dragged him over to the seating area by the window and pointed to an armchair. "Sit." They sat at the end of the sofa closest to the chair and looked deep in thought for several moments while Levi waited with unusual patience for them to talk.

"Levi, this isn't like you," they began. "What's going on? What is it you have against Eren?"

Levi slumped back into the chair with an exasperated sigh. "I don't know, Hange. I don't have anything **_against_** him really. He just scares the ever-living shit outta me."

"Because he's attracted to you?" Hange asked.

"Partially," Levi admitted. Then he let out a heavy sigh. "I find myself attracted to him too, for some reason. What really scares me is what would happen if I started to care about him. You know what happens to people I consider friends; Izzy, Farlan, Eld, Gunther. When you first started hanging around me, I couldn't understand why I liked having you around and why I was so willing to talk to you. It really scared me. But you're so easy to talk to; you're the only person I feel safe sharing my . . . feelings . . . with." The word 'feelings' came out as if he was choking on it. "With Eren . . . I don't know. It would be so easy to befriend him and start to really care about him. But, I know that Titan is after him, and considering Titan's track record, it's only a matter of time before they get him and eventually kill him. Worse still, they could convince him to work for them willingly and he'll betray me, like my father did. Either way, I'll have lost another friend. I can't do that, Hange. I can't go through that again. I have to push the kid away and make him feel I'm not worth his friendship."

Hange looked at him sadly. "But it's already too late. You already care about him. I can see it in your eyes. And he obviously cares about you too. It tears you apart when you hurt him. I saw the change in your eyes when I told you he was crying."

Levi closed his eyes. There was no point in denying that fact. "I know. But if I don't hurt him, he won't hate me. He needs to hate me, Hange. He needs to want nothing to do with me."

"Think of it this way," Hange suggested. "Out of all of us, you are the one person best able to protect him. As such, you have to be around him all the time. Why make both of you miserable? Also, if you make him too angry or hurt him too deeply, he may run away from you, putting himself in greater danger. Are you really willing to live with the guilt if that happens? That's a rhetorical question, Levi, cuz I already know you can't."

Levi was looking at the floor, unable to look at Hange. They were right, of course, but it was still a hard pill to swallow. "What do I do?" he eventually asked with his head in his hands.

"I'm not asking you to be his best friend or anything, cuz I know you're not ready for that, but at least be as kind to him as you are to the rest of us. Try thinking of him and treating him as a member of the team. After all, he's going to end up working with us on this, for his own safety if nothing else. Don't let your fears rule you – isn't that what you always tell the rest of us?"

"Fear is the mind killer – yes."

"Do you want me to stay here tonight so you won't be alone with Eren?"

"No. We'll be fine. I think I need to have a talk with him anyway."

"Alright, my Little-box-of-grumps. I'll leave you to think on this a while." Hange stepped into the elevator.

"Hange?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks."

"Of course! What are friends for?"

* * *

After everyone had left for the day, Levi went down to get himself some dinner leftovers for breakfast. Eren was sitting at the table, working on his laptop. He glanced up when he heard the elevator come down, but quickly put his head down again to avoid eye contact.

Levi sighed, then went and heated up his food and fixed a cup of coffee. When he sat down across from Eren, he could feel the tension and anxiety radiating off the young man. Eren visibly flinched when Levi spoke. "Listen. I don't apologize very often; largely because I rarely regret anything I've said or done. However, I . . . shit . . . didn't think it would be this hard." Levi took in a deep breath and sighed. "Eren, I'm sorry. I regret what I said to you last night. I was out of line and had no right to take out my frustration on you."

"Why do you hate me so much?" Eren asked quietly.

"I don't hate you, Eren. I'm just . . . not . . . I suck at expressing myself. Like I said last night, I don't like getting too close to people. And no, it's not lonely. Because of the line of work I'm in, people who get close to me are in danger. They can be used against me by villains. The idea of innocent people getting hurt as a way to get at me is sickening."

"I see," Eren said, barely above a whisper. After a few moments of awkward silence, "You're better at expressing yourself than you think. I know how you feel, to some extent. I was scared to death when Titan hurt Mikasa because of me. I was scared, angry, sad, guilty and . . . and . . . terrified."

Levi could sense that Eren was trying to reign in his emotions so as not to cause the empathic Super any discomfort. "While I appreciate your efforts to control your emotions, you shouldn't. For one thing, it's not healthy. For another, I was out of line the other night when I told you to keep them in check. I'm just not used to being around someone who wears their heart on their sleeve."

"Sorry."

"Don't be."

A few more minutes of uncomfortable silence followed as Levi ate and Eren tried, but failed, to focus on his schoolwork. "Today's Saturday, so I don't have classes, but am I going to be able to attend classes on Monday?"

"I don't know. We'll have to discuss that with Erwin. I would recommend not. Titan's tried to grab you from there twice now. At the same time, it seems unfair to have you put your life on hold because of this. But then, life is inherently unfair. Perhaps you should focus on courses you can study online. Since they are a professor at the university, I'm sure Hange can arrange something for you. Hange says you're going for a master's degree. Now might be a good time to put some thought and work towards your thesis."

Eren groaned and put his head in his hands. "I don't even know what I'm doing my thesis on yet."

"Well, now you have time to think about it." Levi downed the rest of his coffee. "Listen, I'm gonna go get some sleep. Stay inside headquarters and don't leave this floor. Help yourself to whatever's in the kitchen. I'll be down at 3:00 for your training session."

"Can we go visit Mikasa today?"

Levi regarded the young student for a moment. "After dinner."

* * *

Eren was surprised when Levi led him to another room at the far end of the gym. "Wow. Just how many rooms are down here?"

"This is the only other one on the ground floor," Levi answered as he turned on the lights.

Eren's mouth fell open as he took in the room before him. "A firing range?"

"Obviously."

"But . . ." Eren glanced at the pistol at Levi's hip. "I didn't think heroes used guns."

"I think you'll find that most of us do. Erwin is the only one in our group that doesn't. The rest of us all carry. This is where we practice. If you're going to carry a gun, then you damn well better be prepared to use it. You are going to learn to use one."

"Me? But I-"

"No buts, Eren. Titan is after you and they **_do_** carry guns. We don't have the time necessary to train you to be a top-class fighter, but we do have the time to teach you to handle a gun with proficiency. We need to even the playing field as much as possible to reduce the chances of Titan getting their hands on you."

Eren sighed. "You're right, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Good. The less you like it, the less likely you are to use the weapon rashly." Levi went over to the gun rack and selected a Beretta M9 handgun. He gave the weapon a very thorough going over as he continued. "A few quick tips. In your case, you'll be defending yourself. Shoot to kill. Always shoot twice to ensure you've hit your target. If your aptitude and aim are good enough, we'll go over how to injure without killing, but for now, the object is to kill and get away alive. If you don't intend to kill, then don't pull the trigger, but keep in mind that there are consequences both ways. Make sure there are no chances of civilian casualties. If you think you may accidently kill or injure an innocent, then don't pull the trigger. This is not, however, a weapon of last resort. This is to prevent Titan from getting their hands on you. This is literally a case of shoot first; ask questions later. Do not try to engage up close and give them an opportunity to take this gun from you. Keep in mind one thing; this isn't just **_your_** life we're talking about here. From what Hannes told us last night, your life may very well impact the lives of everyone on the planet. If Titan succeeds, the impact will be very negative."

Levi held the gun out to Eren, and Eren reached tentatively out to take it, but withdrew his hand. "Where's the safety on that thing?"

Levi couldn't hide the faint, but impressed smile that tugged at his lips. "Not bad. This is the safety/decocking lever up here. Keep it on at all times unless you are ready to shoot. Just remember to take the safety off when you do go to shoot. Someone in the Scouts forgot to put the safety on and ended up with a slug in their ass. And, no, it wasn't me. Let's just say it's a good thing Erwin doesn't carry a gun these days."

Eren hesitantly took the gun. "That's a Beretta M9A3," Levi told him. "Keep the weapon clean and oiled and it will never fail you. Press that little button towards the front of the left side of the grip to release the magazine. It takes 9mm cartridges; 9x19 to be exact. The magazine can hold 17 rounds and it can fire up to 17,500 times without any kind of stoppage. As you can see, the weapon is already loaded. It will shoot with accuracy up to 300 feet. This is a very new model, released only in 2015, and this one is rare in that it is black instead of earth tone."

"Now, put the magazine back in and step up to the bar and let's see what you've got. Most of the time you're not going to have time to take up a good stance, but we'll work on quick shooting later. For now, stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Good. Take off the safety and pull back the slide assembly to load a bullet in the chamber. That's right. Now, this is an automatic weapon, so it's not necessary to pull back the hammer to cock it. You can put the safety back on at this point to disable firing if needed. For now, hold the gun in both hands out in front of you pointed to the target. The idea is to line up the front sight in the v-notch of the rear sight. You want those two to line up over the center of your target. Again, you're not always going to have time to do this. Be prepared for the recoil so you can quickly readjust for the next shot. Once you have your target aligned, squeeze the trigger smoothly. Don't pull it or jerk it back harshly or you'll lose your aim. Now, here we go; Exhale all the way. Inhale halfway. Squeeze the trigger."

The gun went off with a sharp report. Eren immediately realigned and fired the second time.

Levi raised a slender eyebrow. "Not bad. You remembered to fire twice. Not exactly a bull's eye, but at least you hit within the red area both times – barely. At lease you didn't squeal and fall on your ass like Krista did after her first shot. Now, notice the two empty cartridges on the floor beside you. The gun automatically discards them after firing the bullet while simultaneously loading a new cartridge in the chamber, so always put the safety on as soon as your done firing. Good. I see you put the safety back on already. Guess you're not as hopeless as I was expecting."

Eren turned red with embarrassment. "I may or may not watch too many crime, horror and war movies and tv shows," he admitted as he self-consciously rubbed the back of his neck.

Levi snorted. "Can't believe those shitty tv shows are actually good for something. Now, when the magazine is empty, the slide assembly will remain back with the empty chamber exposed. Always keep an extra, loaded magazine or two with you so you can quick release the empty one and load the new one in its place. Let's try your aim again. This time, hold the gun steady against the recoil so it doesn't throw off your aim, but don't keep your arms so rigid. Now that you're aware of the noise the gun makes, we'll put on ear protection, so we don't go deaf during practice. Put on these safety glasses too. You won't have them in the field, but at least you won't get injured practicing."

Almost three hours later, the two went back up to the common room. "How was training?" Hange asked.

"Not bad. He's actually a fair hand with a gun."

"Especially considering I've never actually held one until today," Eren added, looking quite pleased with himself.

Erwin looked rather conflicted by the news. "I suppose it's for the best, considering who's after him. I still don't like the idea. You know how I feel about firearms."

"You don't have to like it, Commander. I don't like it either, but it's for his own safety," Levi responded. "He's not some irresponsible half-wit that will shoot at anything that moves or at every shadow he sees. He's surprisingly knowledgeable about guns and was asking questions any responsible gun owner should."

Erwin sighed. "Which one did you give him?"

"The new Beretta."

"Good choice," Mike chimed in.

"Just make sure you keep it very well concealed, so no one will accidentally see it," Erwin warned. "But also, somewhere you can get it quickly and easily."

"Yes, sir," Eren acknowledged.

Krista came up beside Eren and leaned in as close to his ear as her limited height would allow. "I hope you didn't fall on your hiney like I did the first time I fired a gun," she whispered.

Eren chuckled and answered a little less quietly. "No. I didn't. But tell me, did The Commander really get shot in the ass when his gun misfired?"

Krista immediately giggled, and Erwin, having heard the question, raised both eyebrows instantly. "Levi, please tell me you didn't tell Eren that story."

"Of course not," Levi replied blandly. "I may or may not have alluded to such an occurrence, however."

* * *

Eren was grateful to have things back to normal between him and Levi. _I just wish I'd stop having those wet dreams about him. I mean, the guy barely tolerates me as it is, so there's no hope of my ever being able to fulfill my fantasies. Before I met him was one thing, but now that I see him every day . . . ugh! I'm 22 for crying out loud! Seriously, what kind of a grown man jerks off to a Super hero fantasy? Especially when said Super hero is a complete asshole to me half the time._

As promised, Levi took Eren to see Mikasa at the hospital. She was up in the Super's wing. Beringer met them in the hall. "Damn it, Doc. Don't you ever sleep?" Leve greeted.

Beringer chuckled. "Not if I'm needed. Ah, this must be Eren; Mikasa's brother."

Eren shook the doctor's offered hand. "Yes, sir. Eren Jaeger. How is Mika?"

The doctor suddenly looked very weary. "Very difficult. We ended up having to sedate her to keep her in bed until we're sure she's recovered. I'm afraid she's in a great deal of pain. We've only just been able to isolate the toxin used. You're not going to believe this – frankly I'm still having trouble believing it myself – but the poison was very similar to platypus venom."

"Platypus venom?!" Eren yelped. "But those are mammals!"

"Is that anything like Short-tail Shrew venom?" Levi asked.

"Wait, what?" Eren was still flummoxed.

"Got bitten by a shrew once," Levi explained. "Was trying to save the little shit from a dog. Should have let the dog kill the little ingrate. The lousy fucker bit my thumb for my trouble. I went to sleep for the day, and when I woke up to go out on patrol, my entire thumb was throbbing from tip to halfway up to my elbow. Took about two weeks for the pain to subside. I looked up online and found out the little shits are venomous. One of only a very few mammals that are; the platypus included."

"Yes," Beringer confirmed. "Only the platypus secretes its venom via a spur on the hind legs and only during breeding season. This was injected by a claw or spur, but the venom was highly modified. It also caused paralysis. Had you gotten her here any later, it would likely have stopped her heart and her diaphragm. We're about to get to work trying to create an effective anti-venom to help her out. You can go in and see her, but only for fifteen minutes. We're going to have to sedate her again."

Eren started to enter his sister's room but noticed Levi not following. "Aren't you coming?"

"Considering how that she-wolf feels about me, I doubt my presence would do anything but make her feel worse."

"But . . . please don't make me go in there alone," Eren pleaded. "I need someone there to back up my story and to assure her I'm really okay. She won't take just my word for it."

"And you really think she'd take mine? Think about that for a moment. She hates me more than you do."

"I don't hate you," Eren protested. "Please. I don't want to face her alone."

"Fine," Levi conceded. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

Eren sighed with relief. "Thank you!"

As soon as Mikasa laid her groggy eyes on Eren, she was wide awake and tried to get up. "Eren!"

"Hey! Don't try getting up!" Eren scolded as he went over to embrace her. "I'm so glad you're okay! When those goons told me that you wouldn't be coming to save me, I was terrified they'd killed you!"

Even in her weakened state, Mikasa had a crushing hug. "Thank God they didn't get you!" Then she noticed Levi standing by the door; he'd put his mask on. "What's Asshole McFuckface doing here?" she spat.

"Raven was there when Titan tried to grab me again. He saved my life . . . again. When I told him what they'd said, he went straight to our apartment, found you and brought you here. If he hadn't . . ." Eren fought back tears with a sniffle. "If he hadn't, I'd've lost you." Eren took in a long trembling breath to regain control. "Armin's staying with Jean and Marco at the Keirstein's house and I'm staying in protective custody at Scout headquarters. I'm perfectly safe there. And Levi's teaching me to defend myself."

Mikasa never stopped glaring at Levi. "I don't trust that evil little pipsqueak." She started trying to get up again. "I'm getting out of here and taking you home. I'll protect you. You don't need to learn to fight"

"Mikasa! Stop! He's not evil and you're in no condition to leave!" Eren protested.

Levi finally approached the bed. He placed his open palm firmly on Mikasa's breastbone and pushed her back down onto the bed. "Try using your head for once in your life," he told her in his usual bored voice. "I may be stronger than most people, but I'm far from having Super strength like you. I just easily pushed you back to the bed in spite of your resistance. Do you really think you can protect Eren from Titan? This is twice they've nearly killed you. You're untrained and inexperienced. You don't have what it takes to protect anyone. If you'd listen and learn from your elders and take the time to actually train, you might be able to, but right now you're to weak and too reckless to be any good to anyone."

Mikasa snarled at him and tried to sit back up, but he held her firmly down. "Are you really this stupid?" Levi asked her. "Look at yourself. Blindly disregarding reason and physical limitations because of your own foolish pride. I'll put this another way. Eren cares about you a great deal – why I'll never know – but he does care. If you get yourself killed trying to protect him in your current state, what do you think that's going to do to him? If you get yourself killed, you won't be able to protect him. He'll be stuck grieving your death and possibly blaming himself. Do you really want that to happen?"

The girl finally stopped resisting and relaxed, turning her head and looking away in shame. "No. I don't" she admitted quietly.

"Good. Then trust us to protect him. Trust Eren to protect himself. He's not as incompetent as you make him out to be. He's a smart, capable and responsible young man that is more than capable of thinking and acting for himself. If you really care about him so much, then stop insulting him with treating him like an incompetent fool."

Mikasa's glare returned as she turned and looked Levi in the eyes. "I promised Mom I'd always have his back! I will never stop protecting him!"

Levi raised an eyebrow. "Always have his back, huh? Do you even know what that means? It doesn't mean doing everything for him and fighting all his battles for him. It doesn't mean that you have tell him every little thing he needs to do. It doesn't mean smothering him. What it does mean is letting him live his life, make his own decisions and fight his own battles, but also fighting **_by his side_** when he needs your help and letting him do the same for you. It's about working **_together_**. That's what it means to have someone's back."

"I . . ." Mikasa, for once, didn't know what to say. She looked at Eren and could see that he agreed with everything the 'evil little pipsqueak' had said. "Eren . . . I . . . do I smother you?"

"I'm sorry, Mika, but you do," Eren admitted sadly. "I feel like I can't do anything right, and when I try to prove that I can, you come and tell me what to do or correct me before I can even do it myself. You never even give me a chance. I can't go anywhere or do anything without you looking over my shoulder. I love you dearly, Mika, really, I do, but I need some space. I need to live my own life." Eren felt like a huge load had just been lifted from his shoulders when he finally admitted his feelings aloud.

Mikasa looked close to tears. "Eren . . . I'm sorry. I didn't realize. I . . .I'm sorry. I'll try to be better from now on. I'm just so afraid of losing you like I lost Mom and Dad and my birth parents."

Levi then said something that shocked both of them. "You should think about talking to Dr. Marina Sheldon. She's and excellent psychiatrist. She helped me some in the past. I'm sure she can help you too. I'll mention it to Dr. Beringer for you."

Mikasa's eyes widened, but Eren answered first (inwardly congratulating himself for making a decision for Mikasa for once). "Would you? Thanks! That means a lot to us."

Mikasa bit her lower lip. "Yeah," she said softly, then a little louder. "Take care of Eren. If you hurt him in any way though . . ."

"You'll go all she-wolf on me. I'm not worried," Levi finished for her. "Our fifteen minutes are up, Eren. I'll let you say goodbye and meet you in the hall."

Eren left the room a few minutes later and found Levi leaning against the wall beside the room's door, arms folded across his chest. "Thanks for what you said for me in there. I've never had the guts to tell her myself."

"Afraid of the big-bad-wolf?" Levi asked.

Eren chuckled. "I think most people are. You may be the only exception."

Levi started walking down the hall to leave. "I doubt Codex would be scared of her. After all, they're not scared of me."

"Good point."


	18. Chapter 18

Captured . . . Again

Everything went to shit faster than one could blink. Armin and Mikasa were Eren's weakness, and Titan knew it. In spite of the heavy security of St. Sina's Super wing, Mikasa had disappeared from her room without a trace. Armin had been taken from the Kirstein's home in broad daylight. "He went to the bathroom and never came back out," Jean had told The Commander.

Levi and Hange had yet to figure out how Eren had left headquarters without setting off the door alarm, but when Levi had woken up for the evening and come down to the common room, Eren was nowhere to be found. The entire team had spent over an hour searching the entire building for the young man but came up empty. "I don't understand," Hange whined. "How could he get out without setting off the alarm? ALL the doors have an alarm on them!"

"He's pretty observant. He may have watched one of us . . . okay, he may have watched me entering the passcode to get out," Levi surmised. "We'll just have to ask him when we get him back here."

"It's safe to say that Titan has him," Erwin said. "Considering his friend and his sister both disappeared earlier today, they may have used the two as hostages to lure Eren to them."

"SHIT!" Levi swung a punch at the wall, breaking the wood paneling. "I was the one who was supposed to be watching him."

"It's not your fault, Levi," Erwin countered.

Levi spun to face the blond. "Like hell it isn't! I made an assumption that he would be safe here and that I didn't have to watch him. I was the one who decided to sleep instead of making sure he was okay."

"Even the great Raven Knight needs to sleep," Nanaba offered. "We all trusted Eren to stay in as he promised and to let us know if he had any problems."

"Nana's right," Mike agreed. "Titan probably told Eren to come alone and not alert us to the situation or they'd kill his friends."

"They're gonna kill his friends anyway!" Levi snapped. "He should know that!"

"He does, Levi," Erwin assured. "But put yourself in his shoes. If you thought there was even the slightest chance that you could save a loved one by going, wouldn't you take that chance over the definite death of not going?"

Levi immediately though of his father. _That's exactly what I did . . . and look how that ended . . . but I'd probably do it again for even the slightest change of saving them._ "We have to find him. Hange, please tell me you 'snuck' a tracking device on him."

"Of course, I did," Hange stated proudly. Then their expression darkened. "But it's not working. I don't know if it's because of where he is or because Titan found and disabled it."

"Shit," almost everyone in the room whispered simultaneously.

"We should check the city and business security cameras in the area to see where he went," Ymir suggested.

"Way ahead of you," Hange said. "He took to the sewers at 23rd and Prattler streets."

Levi headed for the door. "I'll find him. I'll let you know when I do, and you can plan how to get him out, Commander."

* * *

Kenny's sources had nothing on Titan's activities or whereabouts. Frustrated, Levi turned to the one person he knew that might be able to track Eren down. Huntress was nothing short of shocked when Levi landed in front of her stating, "I need your help."

She blinked a couple of times, deciding whether or not he was serious. "Oh. Okay."

"I'm told you're pretty good at tracking down people considered to be impossible to find. Is this true?"

"Of course, it is," she replied. "I haven't failed yet."

"Well, there's a first time for everything," Levi refuted dryly. "And this may be that time. I need you to find someone taken by Titan."

The girl cocked her head slightly. "Titan? Who's that? What's their power?"

"It's not a who. Titan is a global organization that's been taking doctors and geneticists from all over the world. We're not sure why, but it's not good. They're too eager to kill anyone that gets in their way. They have people in government and law enforcement, so you're up against a group that's impossible to pin down," Levi explained. "They want a college kid named Eren Jaeger pretty badly and have stopped at nothing to get him. He was under the Scouts' protection, but they took his sister and best friend to lure him to them. Unfortunately, it worked. We need to get Eren back before they get what they want from him."

Huntress looked surprised at the mention of Eren's name, but quickly hid it, though not before Levi noticed. She thought for a moment on the information Levi had given. "Okay. So, this guy, Eren, went to Titan of his own free will because they have his friends and you can't find him. If they're as resourceful as you say, then they would have made sure he couldn't be followed. Assuming they want him to go to the same location they have his friends at, so they can garner his cooperation, then perhaps tracking one of his friends would be best. Where were his friends taken from?"

"His sister, Mikasa, was taken from the Supers' wing of St. Sina. His friend, Armin Arlert, was taken from the home of a friend, Jean Kirstein."

"They would have had to be extra careful to get someone out of St. Sina without being noticed. That means the best way to find them would be to track them from the Kirstein home where Armin was taken from."

Levi brought the girl to the Kirstein residence, now all dark as the occupants slept for the night. She started her search outside the window of the bathroom Armin was last seen heading for. "Hm. The window was jimmied. They were really careful about it, but there's still a tiny bit of damage I can see. There's also a denim thread on the sill. No drag marks on the ground, so he was obviously carried. Ground is kinda soft here. Looks like two people. Probably one to carry him away and another to close the window. Bold as brass. They headed right out to the street with him." Huntress continued muttering to herself as she followed an unseen trail out to the street in front of the Kirstein's house.

Levi simply followed behind as the girl found something that looked like a pebble at the edge of the road and used a grappling gun to get to the rooftops and start across the city. Light was just beginning to show on the eastern horizon when she finally stopped atop a long-abandoned factory in the rundown slums of the city's southwestern former industrial sector. _Sniffy would never have found Eren here. First the sewers and now this cesspool of rot and decay – his poor nose'll have a fit, _Levi thought.

Huntress crouched down and scowled at the dark building across a cracked and unused parking lot from them. "It's too quiet around here. Too clean too; no trash or used condoms and needles or empty beer cans and bottles. No people at all; not even vagrants or dealers or winos. No signs of life for an entire 3 block radius. It's like even scum wants to avoid this place like the plague. This Titan group must be even scarier than you let on."

"They are," Levi confirmed. "You telling me Eren's here?"

She pointed to the building across from them. "That building, there. The only people in this entire area are in that building."

"How can you tell?"

The girl's brown ponytail bounced as she shrugged. "I can feel it."

Levi turned to leave. "Okay then. Thanks for your help."

"Wait. You're not going in to rescue Eren and his friends?"

"Not without backup."

"Let me help."

Levi turned and regarded her for a moment. "Eren a friend of yours?"

"What? No! I just think I can help. I found his location, after all. I want to make sure everyone gets out of safely."

Levi sighed and brought his hand up to his earpiece. "Commander, I've got someone who can help us get Eren back. It's Huntress. Should I bring her back with me?"

**_"How do you feel about it?"_**

Levi's eyes never left Huntress. "I think we can trust her."

**_"Very well, Raven. Bring her in using standard protocol. Did you find Eren's location?"_**

"We did. We'll be there shortly."

* * *

Huntress had a great deal of trust, allowing Levi to blindfold her and carry her on his back as he flew back to headquarters. Levi was sure that trust wavered when he was suddenly down-drafted. He recovered quickly enough to avoid crashing, but his ears were ringing after Huntress screamed at the sudden loss of altitude. He landed on atop a flat roofed skyscraper and turned to face the Super he knew to be responsible.

"Let Huntress go," the young man snarled at them.

Huntress stood beside Levi, having removed her blindfold and arms folded over her chest and looking thoroughly unimpressed. "Northwind, just what in the hell do you think you're doin?"

"I'm saving you from this fiend," the Super replied.

Both Huntress and Levi rolled their eyes. "Do you even know who this is?" Huntress asked.

"No. Should I?"

The girl face-palmed. "Ugh! This is Raven Knight . . . from the Scouting Regiment. You know . . . the **_good_** guys."

"Oh. Um . . ."

"Tch! Maybe he should be called Airhead instead of Northwind," Levi suggested. "So, let me guess; you're trying to pay Huntress back for all those times she's saved your sorry ass."

Northwind's face started turning red. "No. It's not that. I need her help."

"I got her first," Levi stated flatly. "You'll just have to wait your turn."

"But I can't find my friend without her!" Northwind protested. "He was taken from my home this afternoon! He's in trouble!"

Levi and Huntress exchanged glances. They both knew instantly who this was. "Your friend's name; would it happen to be Armin Arlert?" Levi asked.

The young Super's eyes widened. "Yeah! How'd you know?"

"We're already on it," Levi told him. "Now for both Armin's sake and your own as well as ours . . . in fact, for everyone's sake, just go back home and wait for him."

"What?!" Northwind shouted, suddenly very angry. "No way! He's a friend of mine and I won't sit idly by while other Supers do my job for me!"

Levi looked the younger square in the eyes. "Let's get one thing straight, dipshit. You may have Super abilities, but you're in no way a hero. All you do is blindly and recklessly get in the way, risking not only your life, but the lives of those you supposedly protect and those who, like Huntress, have to bail you out. There's far more going on here than you realize, so we don't have time to babysit a reckless halfwit like yourself. Go home and stay the hell out of my way."

The young Super's indignant fury mounted. "Just where in the hell do you get off telling me . . ."

"I had **_years_** of training before I took to the streets on my own. When I realized that wasn't enough, I went through 2 more years of training. I currently have over a decade of experience and a lifetime of training influencing every decision I make on the job. It's painfully obvious to me that you don't have any training at all. Every Super these days assumes that just because they have special powers that they're automatically heroes. Well you're not. Most of you are nothing but a menace to serious heroes such as Huntress and the members of the Scouting Regiment and to the general populace. Get your act together, Blowhard, and get some training. But in the meantime, stay the fuck out of my way, or I'll run you over and leave you to your fate."

Levi took off again with Huntress, leaving a gape-mouthed young man in his wake.

* * *

Levi couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in his gut. _I feel like something is gonna go horribly wrong. I've been in worse situations than this . . . but I haven't felt like this since my father and Harbinger._ He made his way into the old factory building from a set of underground tunnels that ran everywhere under this section of the city. It was as if the current city was built right over an older one and the tunnels were the remnants of the old city's streets.

The Commander and Codex had, using heat signatures, been able to determine that there were over 150 people in the building. Eren's body temperature ran about 1.5° hotter that most people, so it was easy to see that he was near the center of the top floor of the plain, boring cube of a building. An entire day of observation had also located Mikasa and Armin, in a sub-basement in one corner of the building.

Being a hive of Titan activity, Codex and The Commander were to break in and gain any computer information they could as well as capture the highest ranked Titans for questioning. Huntress was to get Mikasa & Armin out. T-BAB, Faerie, Bloodhound and Static were to set charges at strategic points throughout the building to bring it down once they were done and the hostages were safe.

Levi made his way up to the top floor by climbing up through the space between the inner and outer walls. _Good thing this building is so old. Buildings are required to have dividers between floors in the wall spaces to act as fire-breaks these days. A fire in the basements would race up to the top floor through the wall space in no time flat in this building._

A small ventilation opening at the top of the wall gave him access to the top floor. Checking first to make sure no one was around, he carefully squeezed out the vent and lowered himself to the floor. He stood completely still, listening. _It's too quiet. Something's really wrong. There should be some sounds in this building – ventilation for computers, equipment, something. _His unease led him to do something he almost never did; he used his telepathy. _SHIT! There's almost no one here anymore! Titan knows we're coming! _Levi brought his hand up to his ear. "Commander, it's a trap! Titan knows we're coming!"

All he got in response was silence. "Commander, respond."

A few seconds later he tried again. "Codex, can you hear me?"

Again, "Bloodhound, are you there?"

Silence.

"Shit!" _Too late. They're jamming our communications. Probably why the tracker Codex put on Eren isn't working. Time to grab him and get the fuck out of here._ Throwing caution to the wind, Levi raced down the hallway. His telepathic exploration had told him that Eren was up ahead with two other people that were planning on moving the panicked student. Two masked people were just dragging Eren out of a room when Levi approached.

He wasted no time slicing both Titans' throats with a couple of swift strikes with his dagger. The next two slashes cut the ties holding Eren's wrists and the gag around his mouth. Eren fell to his knees, looking very glassy-eyed. His clothes were torn, filthy and soaked in his blood. "Eren, can you at least walk?"

"'m dizzy," he slurred. "'nject'd me w' som'n'. M' head hurtses"

_Shit! They drugged him. Gonna have to carry him out._ Levi grabbed Eren up and draped the young man over his shoulders like a mink stole. He knew Eren must be really out of it since he didn't protest in any way. Levi turned to find a room with a window to get himself outside, but he lost his footing and hit the floor when the entire building heaved and shook violently with a deafening roar. _What the fuck?! Did the explosives go off prematurely?_ He groaned as he pulled himself out from under Eren.

"Said they g'nna blow 'p th' build'n" Eren mumbled, tears falling from his glassy eyes. "Mika. Armin."

"Someone's getting them out. Right now, I've got to focus on getting **_us_** out of here alive," Levi told him.

Smoke was fast filling the hallway they were in from the open wall spaces and vents, reducing visibility to almost zero. "Eren, I need you to focus. You need to crawl along behind me. Keep one hand on my ankle so we don't get separated." Levi's only reply was the feeling of Eren's hand gripping his ankle with surprising strength. They crawled slowly along the hall on the side nearest the outside of the building, looking for a door that would lead to a room with a window. The first door was a supply closet. Levi cursed and continued on.

Levi had to stop twice to retrieve Eren. The second time, he draped the student over his back and carried him as he crawled along. Even low to the floor, acrid smoke burned his throat and lungs. He could feel the building tremble and rumble again, and the heat was quickly rising. _We don't have much time. This building is about to collapse! _Desperate, Levi got to his feet, still holding Eren to his back, and facing the wall, he phased in his wings, hopped up and set off a powerful Thunder Shock, blowing the wall into the room beyond. He tossed Eren back over his shoulders and taking advantage of brief visibility before the room filled with smoke from the hallway, he moved to the far wall of the room, set off another Thunder Shock only to find another hallway. He groaned but continued. By the fourth Thunder Shock, his wings ached from the stresses, but he was at last rewarded with the sight of the abandoned parking lot outside.

He spread his wings and glided down to the ground. He landed badly, twisted his ankle and went tumbling, coming to rest against the wall of another building. Eren coughed and looked up at him. "Oth'rs. Where?" he rasped.

Levi picked himself up with a groan, holding a bloodied elbow and looked around. He was relieved to see Codex running over to him. A short way behind them, against the same building, was Huntress with Mikasa and Armin, T-BAB and Faerie, and The Commander. "RAVEN! Are you okay? How's Eren? Have you seen Hound or Static?"

"I'm fine. Just a scraped elbow and twisted ankle. Eren's been heavily drugged and has a sore head." Levi's voice was just as raspy as Eren's, and his throat burned. "Lost radio communication. Haven't heard from Sniffy or Static."

Suddenly, Huntress pointed towards the burning factory. "THERE!"

Running towards them, carrying an injured Static, was Bloodhound. Another explosion rocked the factory, and it began to collapse in on itself. Hound was still very close to the building, and as the rest of the Scouts watched in horror, a large chuck of the building came crashing down on the two.

Everything went silent for Levi. It was as if his entire existence had just gone numb. He didn't even hear Codex's and Faerie's screams of dismay and grief. He wasn't sure how long he just knelt there staring at where he'd last seen his teammates. He barely heard The Commander telling T-BAB to call for Dr. Beringer to come to headquarters. His movements as he carried Eren to the van and lay him in back beside his two dazed friends were almost robotic. With T-BAB driving and Codex and Huntress tending the three injured, there was not extra room in the van for The Commander and Levi.

Levi spread his wings to follow Erwin back to headquarters, but barely made to the rooftop of the building they'd been beside before he was out of breath. He landed and fell to his knees, coughing violently, his lungs burning and barely able to get any air in. "I can't fly like this. Can't breathe," Levi gasped as Erwin landed beside him. Any creature that flies relies heavily on their lungs. If the lungs are compromised, flight is not possible.

Erwin rubbed the smaller man's back as he tried coughing up his lungs. The sounds of sirens could be heard as emergency crews rushed to put out the raging inferno that was once a large factory building. It took Levi several minutes to stop coughing. When he finally did, Erwin crouched in front of him. "Get on," he commanded. He knew something was very wrong with Levi when the small man didn't protest, but simply wrapped his arms around the larger man's shoulders and allowed himself to be carried back to headquarters.

When they returned to headquarters, Beringer had yet to arrive, but Hange, Huntress and Krista had gotten the three students laid out on cots in the common room. Hange was just exiting the elevator with a cart of six oxygen tanks and masks. Still coughing, Levi took one of the tanks and a mask and sank down against the wall nearest Eren's cot, looking utterly defeated. He hooked up the mask, opened the valve partway. He held the mask over his nose and mouth and leaned his head back against the wall.

Everything happening around him felt surreal. Beringer came in and began treatment of the three with Krista's and Hange's help. They ran blood tests to determine what drugs had been used on Eren. The tears and blood in his clothing left them certain they'd have to clean and treat a number of cuts and possible broken bones, but there wasn't a mark on him. This finally got Levi's attention.

"He was a mess when I found him," Levi croaked. "He could barely crawl. He should at least have the cuts on is wrists from the cable ties."

Beringer shook his head in disbelief. "There isn't a mark on him. There are tears and cuts in his clothes with blood around them. I can't imagine it came from anyone other than him."

"He said they injected him with something. He also complained about his head hurting," Levi told him.

"Hm. Didn't find any injection points on him," Beringer stated. "In fact, I can't even see the puncture from where we just took blood from. I thought **_you_** healed fast, but this guy's got you beat."

Levi frowned. _Has Eren always been able to do this, or is it the result of what they injected him with? Guess we'll just have to wait until he wakes up. _Another coughing fit took hold of him, and he placed the oxygen mask back over his face.

Hange came over and detached the line long enough to add a humidifier bottle to the valve before reattaching the line. "The moisture will help," they explained. They then knelt down beside him and began to gently clean his face, then the scrape on his elbow. After wrapping his elbow, they checked and wrapped his ankle. They couldn't help but worry over Levi's uncharacteristic lack of protest as they worked. Once they were done, they simply sat beside him and held the hand that wasn't holding the oxygen mask.

An hour later, Armin was awake and talking to Erwin about what had happened. Mikasa, also awake, was listening, but more interested in staring at Eren, who was still out cold. Levi was oblivious to it all, staring at the floor while still holding Hange's hand. Hange jumped slightly when Levi lowered the mask and spoke. "You were right."

"What?"

"When you told me that it didn't matter if I call someone a friend or not. You were right."

Hange regarded him quietly as he took a few breaths from the mask before he continued. "Just because I didn't call Mike and Nana friends, doesn't make it hurt less now that they're dead." A single tear silently escaped a silver eye. "I still cared about them as friends. Now that I've lost them, it still feels like a nightmare. I still feel sick to my stomach. It still hurts like a mother-fucker."

Hange put their arm around him and lay their head on his shoulder as they began to cry softly. "I know it does, Levi. I know it does."


	19. Chapter 19

No Time to Mourn

The sun was high in the sky by the time Eren finally awoke. He groaned as he raised his hand to his aching forehead, then, as he suddenly remembered the events of the prior day, his eyes snapped open and he bolted upright. He immediately realized that was a mistake, as he held his head and let out an even louder groan. "What the fuck did they inject me with?"

"Eren?"

The young man's head snapped to the left to see Mikasa in the cot next to him, then Armin over on one of the sofas. He groaned again in pain and dizziness. "Okay. No more sudden movements," he whined. "Makes my head wanna explode." He then looked at his two friends. "Mika, Armin, are you two okay?"

Armin sat on the edge of his seat, staring into the cup of coffee in his hands. "I'm okay. They just used chloroform on me. They just held us in this little dark room with a bucket to piss in. We never saw nor heard anyone until Huntress showed up to get us out."

Mikasa was actually in tears as she looked at Eren. "I'm just glad you're alright. I can't believe I'm so useless!" she snarled. "I'm so completely powerless against them! I can't even protect you, Eren!"

"Training with The Commander would help that," Levi suggested, still sitting on the floor against the wall. "Your powers are similar to his, so I think time spent with him would be beneficial. You should ask him." He finally moved to get to his feet. His legs were stiff, and his ass was numb from sitting on the floor for so many hours without moving.

"Are you okay, L- uh, Raven?" Eren asked.

"I'm fine. Just some smoke inhalation," Levi replied.

"He scraped up his right elbow pretty bad and sprained his right ankle," Armin tattled, receiving a glare from Levi.

"How about you, Eren. How are you feeling?" Levi asked as he sat himself down on the sofa across the coffee table from Armin.

Eren stood slowly and stretched. "I feel like what some of my classmates describe as a hangover. My head is pounding." He moved over to sit on the other end of the sofa from Levi.

Erwin had come into the room and he carefully picked up Mikasa and set her in one of the lounge chairs. "It's good to see all of you awake."

Hange, Krista, Ymir and Huntress came in and sat down in the sitting area as well. "I'd like to introduce all of you to the Scouting Regiment's newest member, Huntress," Erwin introduced.

Eren's mouth fell open as he took in the new Super, without her mask on. He barely managed to refrain from blurting out her name, but clearly Armin and Mikasa recognized her too. The girl waved shyly to them all. "Hi. My real name is Sasha Blouse. It's an honor to be invited to join you all. I won't let you down."

"I can't believe Potato Girl is a Super!" Eren gasped.

"Potato Girl?" Hange questioned.

"Oh, no," Sasha groaned.

"Yeah. On the first day of high school, Coach Shadis was drilling us all in gym class and she was standing there in formation eating a potato left over from lunch," Eren explained.

"When Coach called her out on it, she offered to share it with him. She thought he was jealous," Mikasa continued, a faint smile on her face at the memory.

"He had her run laps until school let out for the day," Armin finished.

"And no one's ever let me live it down," Sasha groaned.

"Well, for the benefit of Armin and Mikasa, let's all introduce ourselves. They are all going to be here for a while for their own safety, so we might as well all get to know each other," Erwin said. "I'm Erwin Smith. You know me as The Commander."

"I'm Codex, but my real name is Hange Zoe."

"I'm T-BAB; that's Totally Bad-Ass Bitch. My real name is Ymir."

"I'm Faerie, but my name is Krista Lenz."

Everyone in the room turned to look at Levi. "Levi. A.k.a. Raven Knight," he said flatly.

Eren looked around the room in worried confusion. "Where's Hound and Static?" His answer was a silent room of sad faces. "No. That can't be," Eren said, sounding almost panicky. "They can't be dead." Tears began to run from his light green eyes. "It's all my fault! They died because of me! If I hadn't left and gone to Titan, if I had just told you what was happening instead of going alone, they wouldn't have died trying to save me! I just wanted to protect my friends, but two people died anyways. It's not fair!"

Levi moved quickly to sit right next to Eren and took a hold of the younger man's wrist firmly, but gently. "Listen to me. You're right; it's not fair, but it is **_not_** your fault. There isn't a person in this room that would have done any differently than you in your situation. I would have made the same exact choice you did had I been in your position. I **_have_** done the same as you, but it cost me my two best friends. The fact is, had you not gone, you would have lost Armin and Mikasa. You took the risk and they are both alive because of it. There was no ideal solution, but you would have regretted it forever had you not tried. We can never know the outcome of our decisions before we make them, and once we know the outcome, we can still never know if another decision would have had a better or a worse outcome. All we can do is make the choice that we believe we will regret the least."

Eren began to cry, and he leaned over against Levi's shoulder. Levi shocked all in the room when he placed a comforting arm around the younger's shoulders and rested his chin atop the student's head and allowed him to cry. "You did the right thing, Eren," Levi assured him.

A few minutes later, Eren calmed and stopped crying. "I'm sorry, guys. I don't mean to be such a crybaby." He then noticed the red, puffy and watery eyes of almost everyone in the room. Even Levi's silver eyes looked a little watery.

"Don't be sorry," Erwin said. "We are all grieving. But we are also at war. Eren, what can you tell us about your captivity?"

"They seemed awfully stupid," Eren stated.

* * *

**_30 hours ago_**

_Eren woke up to find himself sitting in a hard, metal chair in the middle of an empty, windowless room. His wrists were cable-tied to the arms of the chair, and his ankles to the chair's legs. The ties were all pulled too tight and dug painfully into his skin. He'd walked through the sewers to where they'd directed him. He'd immediately been darted, and he'd passed out._

_"Well, well, well; looks like sleeping beauty had finally awakened," an obnoxious, nasally male voice sneered._

_Eren looked around the dimly lit room and noticed three people, all wearing the distorted masks that Titans wore. The one standing in front of him spoke again. "Alright, Jaeger. Let's get straight to the point. Where's the key?"_

_"What key?" The question earned Eren a painful slap across the face. "I'm serious. Is it a literal physical key, a code key, a card key, a password, what?"_

_"You know damn well what key," the Titan snapped as he again slapped Eren hard. "The one your daddy left you."_

_Eren snorted angrily. "That bastard walked out on Mom and me when I was eight. Didn't even have the decency to say goodbye or tell us why; just left and never came back. I don't even know if the fucker is still alive anymore!" Eren's face showed the genuine hurt and anger he felt towards his father for not explaining what was going on and leaving without even saying goodbye; for leaving his mother to handle such a dangerous situation. _

_This time, instead of a slap, he received a fist to his jaw. "Where is the key?"_

_"Are all members of Titan this stupid? I don't know about any key! Whatever it was, Dad probably took it with him!" Eren spouted._

_There was another fist; this time to his ear, which was left ringing._

_"The only keys I have are to my apartment and the university, and they were in my right jeans' pocket." Another blow. "Damn it! Think about this for a minute! If this key is so damned important that a bunch of assholes like Titan wants it, you seriously think anyone would leave it with an eight-year-old child?" Another blow. "Fine. That's it. I don't know what you're looking for or why and I'm done wasting my breath trying to reason with you ignoramuses." This time a sharp blade swept across his chest, drawing blood. Eren yelped but said nothing more._

* * *

Present

"I don't know how long they went at it, but it hurt like hell," Eren said. "It was weird, because I could swear I saw steam coming from my wounds and they closed up right before my eyes. I'd say I was hallucinating, but none of those cuts is visible on me now . . . unless I imagined the whole thing and was never hurt."

"No. You were hurt alright. I saw the wounds on your wrists from the cable ties, and your clothes were all ripped and covered in blood around the holes," Levi confirmed.

"Huh. Maybe that's why they talked about getting blood samples. I couldn't really hear what they were saying, with my ears ringing so loud and them talking so quiet, but it sounded like they wanted to check my DNA. After that, they injected me with something and kept asking me for 'the key' over and over again."

"Did they think that maybe the key was Eren's DNA?" Hange wondered.

"I suppose it's possible," Erwin agreed. "You and Beringer took blood samples. Perhaps we should have him check Eren's DNA."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Armin chimed in. "If Titan is looking to get this 'key' so badly, then having Dr. Beringer look at Eren's DNA could be dangerous. They might attack him to silence him or take him to work for them. I know I'm not a medical student, but I've seen DNA tests run before. If you can get me the equipment, and secure access to a sequencing program, I can run the tests here."

Hange's eyes widened in excitement. "I can easily get you access to a computer that can do sequencing! We never have to leave this building! I have all the chemistry and equipment we need! I can hardly wait to see what makes Eren heal so fast!"

"Down, Four-Eyes. You're scaring the patient," Levi drawled.

"Hange, what were you able to discover about the key that belonged to Carla Jaeger?" Erwin asked.

"Nothing unusual about it; no electronics, no microscopic encoding, no magnetics. It's just an ordinary gold key. And I mean solid gold, so it's probably just a piece of jewelry." Hange had gotten up and walked over to their station, where they retrieved the key, still on its silk cord and brought it over to Eren. "I even examined the cord. It's just plain silk." They handed it to Eren. "Here, sweetie. This belongs to you."

Eren took the key, fingered it lovingly as he thought of how his mother always wore it, then placed it around his own neck, under his shirt. "Thanks, Hange."

"Was there no mention of what the key is supposed to be for?" Erwin asked.

"No. I don't think they even knew," Eren replied. "They never clarified what kind of key they were looking for. It could be a code, a phrase, a card, and actual key or even just a formula of some kind. Maybe it's just figurative – not really a key at all. Maybe it's a gene sequence to activate some hidden human trait. Maybe there's more than one key. Maybe-"

"Easy, kid. You're overthinking this," Levi told him. "Hange, did you find out anything about the old Jaeger residence in Shiganshina?"

Hange immediately lit up. "Yes! Just like the old factory sector of Mitras, Shiganshina has hundreds of miles of tunnels running beneath it that most people know nothing about. Satellite imaging – I won't bore you with the details of how I hacked into a government satellite – shows the entire network. You can actually see the difference between the sewers, drains, subways and the old tunnels. The basements and foundations were never destroyed, just filled in when the strip mall was build. One of the tunnels passes directly below the block Eren's house was on below the level of the basements. However, there is a chamber below and to one side of where the Jaeger basement was. There appears to be a stairwell that led from the basement to the chamber. Needless to say, with the strip mall there now and the basement filled in, that entrance is no longer accessible. Good news, though. The chamber looks like it's also accessible from the tunnel system."

"Can you provide an accurate map of the tunnel system?" Erwin asked.

"Of course, I can," Hange replied as if the man had asked them the most ridiculous question in the world. "We gonna go check it out?"

"Levi and Eren are going to go check it out," Erwin clarified. "The fewer people that go, the less attention we draw. Besides, I want you and Armin to work on sequencing Eren's DNA. Levi, I want you to drive down to Shiganshina with Eren to see about accessing that chamber. I want to leave no stone unturned."

"That's a two day drive, Eyebrows. I could fly us there in one night," Levi protested. "Save us having to stay in some shitty motel."

"Flying is too high profile. You're the only Super out there with real wings, so if you were spotted by anyone, they'd know it was you, and Titan will know Eren is with you. No. Driving is the best bet. Hange will change out your plates and VIN number and adjust the appearance of your car."


	20. Chapter 20

Shiganshina

Eren sat in the front seat of Levi's now "Mysterious Blue" Kia Soul worshipping the large travel mug of coffee in his hands and listening to Levi grumble about getting up "at the ass-crack of dawn". Admittedly, for someone who always worked at night and slept during the day, travelling during the day was rather unexpected. Eren supposed that was the idea; to throw off Titan. Didn't mean he had to like it. 4am was too early even by his standards. He wasn't used to waking up any before 6am to get to classes on time.

For his own part, Levi was irritated at having to travel during the day. Too much traffic, which meant too many stupid people driving, too long to have to drive before stopping in Karanese at a resort hotel Erwin had reserved them a room at, and too long cramped in a small space with one human being that seemed to have trouble keeping quiet, had no control of his emotions and still had an obvious crush on him. He'd only gotten a little over 2 hours of sleep the night before, and he had the beginnings of a headache. This was going to be a long pain-in-the-ass trip.

Mercifully, Eren slept for most of the first two hours and remained quiet for most of the day, until he noticed that they kept passing up gas stations late in the afternoon. "Hey, Levi. Aren't we getting a little low on gas?"

"Hange filled it up last night. This thing gets 150 miles or so per gallon thanks to them modifying the engine, and with a 14-gallon tank . . ."

Eren's eyes widened. "That's about 2100 miles per tank! We can make the round trip without stopping once!"

Levi smirked. "Which means less opportunity to be spotted by the enemy." After a few moments of silence, he spoke again. "It might be prudent for you to keep talking for a while."

Eren turned to look at the man like he had five heads. "What?"

"I'm dangerously close to falling asleep at the wheel. I don't see the problem. Usually you won't shut up," Levi stated. "Speaking of which, what's bothering you? You've been freakishly quiet this whole drive. I get the part with you sleeping for the first couple of hours, but you haven't said two words since we ordered coffee this morning."

Eren fiddled with the hem of his shirt. "It's been such a long time since I was in Shiganshina. I'm not sure how I feel going back. It's such a rough town; you know, little more than a run-down suburb of Maria. Everyone there is dirt poor and it's overrun with gangs. My memories of it are pretty nice, though. The people in my neighborhood were nice and we helped each other out. Everyone really respected Dad. He was so busy, but he made sure he always was home on Sundays with nothing to do but spend time with us. We'd go to the park, or out to the beach, or over to the reserve to go hiking. He even took me fishing from time to time."

"I guess that's why it hurt so much when he disappeared all of a sudden. I couldn't understand at that age. All I knew was that he was gone, and Mom was scared. I can remember Hannes picking Mika and me up from school one afternoon with Mom in this really big box truck and we drove straight to Mitras and we never saw home again. Now that I know what happened, I guess they'd already torched the house."

Eren sighed before continuing. "Now that I know kinda what happened and why, I understand, but it still hurts. Part of me is still mad at Dad for not telling us anything at all. I know he left to protect us, but I can't help feeling that he abandoned Mom to deal with such a dangerous situation by herself." Another sigh. "I guess I don't know what I feel. It's all confused in my head."

"You're suddenly re-thinking everything you thought you knew after putting it out of your mind for 14 years. It's a lot to take in," Levi explained.

"Yeah. I guess. My entire world has been turned completely upside down for the second time in my life. Both times because of Titan," Eren said, anger building. "If it's the last thing I do, I'm gonna those fuckers pay for what they've done to my family and my friends. Every last one of them deserves to die!"

"Calm down, Eren,"

Eren suddenly remembered Levi's telepathic sensitivity to strong emotions. He glanced over and noticed the man gripping the steering wheel so tight that his knuckles were all white. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Levi said, rubbing his right temple to try to ease the now pounding headache he had. "Like I said, these past few weeks are a lot to take in."

"I gave you a headache. I'm sorry," Eren insisted.

"You didn't. I had this from before we left. I'll take something for it when we get to the hotel."

When they finally got to the hotel, Levi was endlessly grateful that Erwin had reserved a room on the next to the top floor with twin beds. Damn Four-Eyes would've gotten a single bed just to be an ass. It was clean enough for one night, and Levi told Eren to order room service and disappeared into the bathroom to shower. The hot water and steam helped to ease his headache, but not enough to say so.

When he finally decided to end his shower, he stepped out of the bathroom in a loose-fitting pair of jersey pants and nothing else. Eren swallowed visibly as he took in the powerfully muscled torso and visible hip bones. Yeah, he'd seen Levi's naked torso before, but it never ceased to amaze him. "Quit droolin', kid," Levi told him, earning an embarrassed blush from the younger.

Levi noted that the room had a dresser, a nightstand between the beds, a sitting area and a table and two chairs for eating. On the table was the result of Eren's room service order. "Where do you plan to put all that?" Levi asked him. "You got a hollow leg or something?"

"I ordered for both of us. You don't seem to be very picky, so I felt safe ordering enough for two."

Levi hated to admit it, but the food smelled really good, and since they'd not stopped for lunch, he was really hungry. There was roasted pork loin, garlic mashed potatoes (real potatoes, skin and all), apple Walldorf salad, a skillet of hot cornbread with honey butter, roasted carrots with herbed butter and, just to not seem too classy, a pile of green-bean fries with siracha ranch dip and a couple of craft beers. His stomach growled loudly at the sight, earning a laugh from Eren. He then noticed a cast iron tea pot. He hesitantly picked it up, lifted the lid, noticed the loose tea leaves steeping in the hot, steaming water and inhaled the heavenly scent. "Not bad."

After eating, Eren chattering away about his schooling the entire time, Levi collapsed on the first bed he came to and fell asleep almost instantly while Eren entertained himself by watching the TV.

The following morning, after indulging in the hotel's breakfast buffet (in which Levi wondered how Eren had space in his slender body for 5 Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, a plate piled high with scrambled eggs, 4 biscuits with jam, a cheese Danish, 6 pieces of bacon, 4 sausages and a ham steak), they were again on the road.

"How's your head feeling this morning?" Eren asked cheerfully, again worshipping a huge travel mug of fresh coffee.

"Better. Nothing a decent night's sleep couldn't fix," Levi answered after taking a swig of his own coffee. "Damned if I can figure out where you put all that food. You eat like a freaking teenager! You better not puke all that up in my car later!"

"Relax, Captain Clean-freak. Thanks to training with you, I've been a lot more active lately, so I guess I need more calories to fuel that activity. Besides, I'm a student . . . I have to be using my brain all the time, and the brain alone uses up 20% of all the calories consumed."

Levi just shook his head slowly and chose to ignore the 'clean-freak' comment. "You still eat like a goddamn teenager; brain or not. You seem rather . . . nauseatingly perky this morning. It's a little much to take at this hour."

Eren smirked. "You mean at the 'ass-crack of dawn'?"

Levi said nothing for a moment. "So. Tell me about volcanoes." He had learned that Eren was possessed of a very large 'geek button' that was very easy to push. Get the guy talking about his passion and he could talk for hours. Scary how much like Hange he can be sometimes. He didn't want to admit it aloud, but the subject was interesting, and he was learning a lot while at the same time being kept safely awake. He found Eren's passion and excitement to actually be kind of endearing.

It was mid-afternoon when the arrived at the hotel Erwin had booked in Maria, less than 20 minutes drive from Eren's old neighborhood in Shiganshina. Levi didn't eat much this time when Eren ordered dinner. "We should get a few hours sleep," he told the younger when dinner was finished. "We'll need to get going around 10pm to get to the tunnel system entrance. It's about three miles as the crow flies from the entrance to your old home."

Though he lay resting, Eren couldn't sleep. His torn emotions about returning to his childhood home kept him awake. He was excited, yet afraid to find out what, if anything, his father had been hiding in their basement, or even if the man had known about the chamber below their home. So many questions to be answered, but Eren feared disappointment. What if they couldn't access the chamber? What if it didn't connect to his former basement? Worse still, what if Titan got there first?

"Stop thinking in circles, kid. You're making me dizzy," Levi commented dryly.

Eren glanced over at the man, who was laying on the other bed on his side, back to the student. "Sorry. Thought you were asleep."

"Hard to sleep with similar thoughts running through my own head." Levi sighed and rolled to lay on his back with his hands behind his head. "If this lead turns out to be a wild goose chase, then so be it. But I think this really could be a good lead. Try watching something mindless on tv to keep yourself distracted. Even if you can't sleep, at least rest as much as possible. It's gonna be a long night no matter what happens."

* * *

Eren's jaw dropped when Levi's car vanished into thin air right in front of him. "Codex," Levi said quietly in explanation. "They're pretty clever. If you ever tell them I said that, I'll deny it. They were able to replicate the device that makes my wings invisible and adapt it to work on the cars. Comes in real handy in places like this where there's no real cover to hide behind."

They were currently at an old army bunker that had been abandoned for over 100 years. It looked like nothing more than a tree covered hill with a door in it. Levi easily picked the lock on the chains holding the doors closed and they slipped in quietly. It was nearly midnight, but there was always the possibility of having been followed. Levi had also warned Eren that they needed to be extremely quiet since, though few people knew about them, the tunnels under Shiganshina may not be empty of people. "The homeless, the criminals, even Titan may use them for travel unseen or to shelter in, so we need to be prepared for anything." Levi had told Eren.

And prepared they were. Eren's jaw dropped again when Levi pulled out a couple of empty bottles of beer and a blunt. "Need to look like a couple of college guys just hanging out and exploring if anyone sees us," Levi explained. This also explained why Levi was wearing a pair of blue jeans, a plain white t-shirt and grey hoodie and not his mask. "If someone spots us, try to act at least mildly inebriated."

They searched the back wall of the bunker for the entrance to the tunnels. Eren found a large iron loop in the floor that looked like it might be a handle to a trap door. He tried desperately to lift the cement slab but failed miserably. Levi deadpanned and shook his head at the younger. He strode over calmly and lifted the hatch like it was nothing. Eren rolled his eyes and mouthed, "Show off."

Levi's smirk was hidden in the darkness as he shut off his flashlight and listened down through the opening. A quick mental scan and he determined it was safe, turned on his flashlight, handed it to Eren and descended down the rusting ladder. Once Eren was down, Levi went back up the more than 50-foot ladder to close the hatch behind them. He turned on his phone and opened the map of the tunnel system Hange had given him. Levi started walking silently down the rough-hewn corridor and Eren followed quietly behind with the flashlight.

The tunnel system was a maze of passages ranging from rough, cave-like corridors, to smooth surfaced hallways with doors leading off, and still others were like the streets of a ghost town lined with shops and homes. Some intersections were plain junctions, while others looked like grand town squares or large open halls. There were stairs for changing levels, straight corridors and twisted tunnels that seemed to turn back on themselves. Eren was glad that Levi was in charge of the map because he was certain that he would have gotten hopelessly lost down here even with the map.

Eren's nervousness and excitement were palpable; like a buzzing vibration Levi could feel on his skin as he paused for the umpteenth time to listen and to scan for trouble. It was nearly 1 am when they finally arrived outside the chamber – or rather where the chamber was supposed to be. There was nothing but blank stone wall to be seen for hundreds of feet. After several minutes of carefully examining the walls, Levi let out a quiet sigh of resignation and placed the palm of his hands against the wall where he knew the chamber to be. He ran them slowly over the rough stone, and after several minutes, he placed the right index finger against one spot and held his left hand back to Eren.

Though not sure how he knew what Levi wanted, Eren quickly took his mother's key from around his neck and placed it in Levi's waiting hand. Levi put the key into the tiny hole he'd finally found, held his breath and turned it. Eren's jaw dropped for the third time that night when with scarcely any sound at all, a section of the wall slowly opened out into the tunnel. The door was solid stone, and the fit was to precise that the seams couldn't be seen or felt. The tunnel side of the door was rough and looked to be cut from the tunnel wall itself, but the other side of the door, by contrast, was polished smooth.

After checking to make sure the door could be opened from the inside, Levi removed the key, stepped into the opening, signaling Eren to follow and then closed the door behind them. They were now in a short, narrow hallway, that while smoother than the tunnel outside, was no where near as smooth as the polished door behind them, nor the one in front of them. In the middle of the door before them was what Levi recognized as a thumbprint scanner and a retinal scanner. "Shit. Overkill much? Must be something earth shattering in there for your father to put this much security on it. Damn it! I can't believe I'm saying this, but I wish Codex was here. If you ever tell them I said that, I'll deny it."

"Wouldn't dream of it. Wouldn't want to ruin your surly reputation," Eren snarked. "So now what?"

"Your father gave you regular checkups, right?"

"Um, yeah?"

"Then he may have scanned your thumbprint and retina without you realizing he was doing it," Levi told him. "Let's see if he did. It likely has to scan both the thumb and the eye at the same time. Try your right side first."

"Okay." Eren placed his thumb over the scanner as he looked into the eyepiece. A faint blue light pulsed in both and the door released, opening inward. "Wow. That was easier than I expected. But how in the hell did Dad afford all this tech? These doors alone must have cost a fortune."

Compared to the doors and the hallway, the chamber itself was very rough. It looked like a natural cave, only the floor having been worked to create a level surface. There were utility shelving units around the edges, filled with chemicals and instruments. In the center was a large metal table with a large book, a large binder full of files, a laptop computer, a solid state hard drive, several data cards and a thick, manila envelope with Eren's name on it.

Eren picked the envelope up, and without a word and with shaking fingers, he opened it. He pulled out a letter and several more, smaller manila envelopes with numbers printed on them. He began to read the letter aloud.

_**Dearest Eren, my precious son,**_

_**If you are reading this, then it is very likely I am dead. As I write this, I am preparing to leave you and your mother to draw an organization called Titan away from you. For this I am sorrier than you can know. Chances are you will believe I just walked out on you, but please know that I have good reason. **_

_**There are only two keys to this chamber. Your mother has one, and I am melting down mine as I write this. I instructed Carla to give you hers with the first letter when you turned 21. I can only pray that you never have to come down here, but if you do, there is much you need to know.**_

Eren glanced at Levi. "What first letter? Must have been lost either when we moved or when Mom died."

_**Titan is a frightful organization. It has influence in the top levels of global society, making it nearly impossible to know who to trust. My own brother, Zeke, I recently discovered, is a very high-ranking member of Titan, going by the name of 'Beast'. Up until a few days ago, I had thought him long dead, since just after college. It turns out that he joined Titan at that time. He was a bio-chemistry major where as I sought to become a medical doctor. **_

_**A man by the name of 'Undertaker' recruited Zeke right out of university, but as far as my parents and I were concerned, he was killed in a fiery car wreck. Titan is VERY good at covering its tracks. Had I not seen Zeke with my own eyes and spoken to him, I would never have believed him still alive. I was suspicious when he and three others approached me the other day, so he does not know about you or Carla because I told him nothing. **_

_**Oh, Eren, there is so much I have to tell you. I'd suspected my work would attract trouble long ago. You will have no doubt discovered that there are no records of you, Mikasa's or Carla's existence. It may not be enough, after all, I cannot silence our neighbors, but it will still make it much harder for Titan to make the connection between us. However, like I said, Titan is VERY resourceful. It is only because of Hannes and Pixis that I was able to cover your existence as much as I did. It is because of the vast resources of Dot Pixis that this chamber and my research was possible. **_

_**My initial research started in medical school when my father was diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer. This cancer is rare and unresponsive to treatment, so I began trying to look at using humans' own genes to fight it and even prevent it. The research was done using tissue samples donated by volunteers. In overly simple terms, we would sequence the DNA, then trigger cancerous growths in the tissue samples, then try to find the gene sequence that would stop it. Hannes's wife was one of the first patients to be successfully cured using gene therapy. **_

_**However, during the research, one of the samples' DNA had severe abnormalities in it that were not related to cancer. The individual it came from soon disappeared from existence with no traceable records. The sequences of the DNA that were abnormal were related to strength, healing and repair and the immune system. The DNA had clearly been altered and had negative effects on other sequences, such as intelligence, motor skills, life expectancy and more. There was also an added gene sequence not in any normal DNA from any known living organism. My first thought was that someone was trying to create some sort of artificial Super. The gene splicing was sloppy and very damaging, which might explain why the donor disappeared. **_

_**Pixis was intrigued by this since his organization, The Garrison, works closely with many government agencies as well as Interpol. He began sending me samples and paying me to examine the DNA for similar abnormalities. Some were from deformed corpses, others from criminals and still more from military personnel. As time went by, the genetic manipulation became less sloppy looking, but the negative side effects to intellect, longevity and motor skills remained. **_

_**This is where I made my mistake. Call it curiosity. Call it pride. Call it ego. It's all true. I wondered if I could do the manipulations without the negative side effects. Please forgive me Eren. What I did was inexcusable. **_

The two men noticed that the ink was blurred and distorted from what could have been tear drops as Eren continued to read_**.**_

_**I used tissue samples from you and your mother and myself to conduct my experiments. After dozens of failed attempts to manipulate and enhance the gene sequences I wanted without damaging others, God help me, I succeeded. If I'd injected the serum containing the enhanced genes, the recipient would be able to use 100% of their muscles' potential force without risk of damaging the muscles, giving them essentially Super strength. The bone structure would be enhanced to be many times stronger than normal human bones so as to support the extra muscle use capacity. They would also be able to heal at an unbelievable rate as well as being resistant to most diseases, venoms, poisons and a multitude of other toxins. That added gene sequence; it was what I found most terrifying of all.**_

_**I attempted to inject myself with the serum to see what the sequence was for, but it seems that my age prevents the serum from working. It can only work on someone who is still growing. Eren, please forgive me. In my foolish self-pride and curiosity, I injected you with the serum. It was beyond wrong, and I will never be able to express how sorry I am for my actions. You were so young at the time; only 4. What kind of a father am I to use my own son in such an experiment and not regret it? I keep asking your forgiveness, though I know what I have done to you is unforgivable. I won't even ask you to understand. I only ask that you finish reading this letter and protect yourself from Titan.**_

Tears began running silently from Eren's jade eyes as he continued reading in a quavering voice.

_**I did not give you the entire gene sequence; only the unknown portion and the healing portion. That unknown sequence does two things. The first, is that it allows one to grow back entire body parts; bones, muscle, organs – all tissue. The second, and more terrifying aspect, is that it enables the subject to transfer all brain functions, including cognition, memory and motor functions, to other parts of the nervous system. In other words, the entire nervous system is the brain. This means that, essentially, a person's head can be cut off and they would be able to grow it back and continue with their lives as if it never happened. **_

_**It was an accident that I even discovered this, Eren. You see, when we found Mikasa's parents dead, I sent you home while I went for the police, but you went looking for Mikasa instead. You killed all three of her captors, but not before one of them decapitated you. Mikasa suppressed the memory and only revealed what had happened under hypnosis. I have allowed her memory to remain suppressed, for the sake of her sanity. Seeing a headless child kill a grown man is terrifying by any standards. By the time I'd gotten there with the police, you had regrown your head and were completely fine, but had no memory of what had happened. **_

_**I felt sick when I saw your head on the floor, but at the same time relieved beyond measure at seeing you still alive and well, standing in front of me. For this reason, I cannot regret having given you the serum. Without it, I would have lost you that day and we would never have had Mikasa. At the same time, I am a horrible father. **_

_**Somehow, Titan found out about my genetic work. Pixis warned me that there was a leak within The Garrison and that Titan had gotten a hold of some of the files I'd sent them on my research. Those files included my own experiments. The case number files you have with this letter are the reports from the first tissue sample I received with the DNA abnormalities back in medical school and from the most recent two samples from Pixis. The data cards have most of my research on them, as well as on the laptop. The binder has all of the information I have regarding Titan. The book is something I managed to steal from Titan itself. It is their directive and reads frighteningly like a religious text. Lastly, the hard drive was stolen from Titan and has the results of their genetic research. **_

_**Eren, this is VERY important. Titan must NOT get any of this information! If it looks for even one moment like they could, destroy everything immediately! They have not yet figured out how to activate the added gene and the must NEVER do so! Eren, they must NEVER be able to get their hands on you. You see, not only can you regenerate, but you also do not have the shortened life expectancy that their subjects do. **_

_**Their subjects so far have not lived beyond 10 years after receiving the modified DNA. Most die within 5 years. The changes take a tremendous toll on the human body. However, with the regeneration and neural changes active, this effect would be neutralized. Based on my tests, you will grow up just as any normal human, but once growth is complete, you will stop aging. A gene called I626 was activated along with the added gene, which makes a human being become immortal. The only place this information currently exists is in my mind and in this letter. Titan must NEVER find this out. If they are ever able to create an immortal superhuman as they are seeking to do, this would destroy our world. Those with no conscience would trample the weak. The rich would become all powerful and the rest would be destitute. Resources would dwindle, and the world would be lost.**_

_**You MUST destroy this letter as soon as you are finished reading it. I am so very sorry for putting you and your mother in this intolerable position. I can't even offer you a way to stop Titan for I myself do not know. Please be safe, Eren and know that I love you very much. **_

_**Your loving, but foolish Father.**_

Eren's voice was shaking more than his hands as reached the end of the letter, tears flowing in a steady flood from his wide eyes. Once he finished, the papers slipped from his hands and he sank to his knees looking completely shell-shocked.


	21. Chapter 21

Fugitives

Levi knelt down beside the shaking young man. The instant he placed his hand on the younger's shoulder, Eren leaned in, threw his arms around the Super's neck and began sobbing on his shoulder. _Gross,_ Levi thought. _Now I'm gonna have snot and tears all over me. Can't say as I blame him, though. I can't even begin to imagine what he must be thinking and feeling at this moment. Hell, I don't even know what _**I'm**_ supposed to be thinking or feeling at the moment! Dammit! Eren doesn't deserve this shit!_

In just a few minutes, Eren calmed, wiped his face with his sleeve, straightened up, took in a deep, cleansing breath and declared, "I'm okay, now." He picked up the dropped papers of his father's letter and stood.

Levi, still kneeling on the floor looked skeptically up into Eren's eyes. "Are you sure? Feels like your suppressing."

"I am. But we have a job to do and my freaking out isn't going to help. I'll think about it later"

Levi stood and brushed the dust from his clothing. "Okay, who the fuck are you and what have you done with Eren Jaeger?"

"I put him away for a while," Eren replied seriously as he took off his backpack and began putting the laptop into it. "It looks like we may have a lot of useful information on Titan here."

"Right. The sooner we get this shit back to headquarters and destroy this chamber, the better," Levi agreed as he put the book and file binder in his backpack.

Once they had packed everything, Levi went over to the door that presumably led to what was once the Jaeger's cellar and knocked on it with a tire iron he'd been carrying in his pack (Eren decided he didn't want to know why Levi brought a tire iron in the first place). "Sounds hollow back there. Codex said this was below the basement, so their must be a hall with stairs that are still open after the basement was filled in." He cautiously opened the door to find his assumption was correct. On the opposite side was a thumb and retina reader just like the entrance they had used. Using the tire iron, Levi smashed the two scanners to bits before closing and locking the door forever.

Finally, he had Eren place the letter on the table. Using his flint and steel rings, Levi ignited a flame that consumed the letter entirely. As they stepped out the door into the hallway, Levi ignited another flame and set the remaining contents of the chamber ablaze. He then closed the door, destroyed the scanners and they turned to leave.

Once they were back out in the tunnels, Eren let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding before following Levi silently back towards the exit. The key, now useless, still hung around Eren's neck. He still saw it as something of his mother's and was loathe to part with it.

Levi's thoughts were a maelstrom of hypotheses, concern for Eren, fear of Titan's intentions, anxiousness to have Erwin and Hange examine the information on top of trying to concentrate on their current surroundings. His concern for Eren stemmed from the fact that the young man's mind was unusually calm and clear of thought. It was as if the student's mind was in shock and had gone numb. He was anxious to get back to headquarters, hand this shit over to Erwin and Hange and then sit Eren down to get him to talk out his feelings. _Oh my god, what is wrong with me? Since when do I give a shit about people's feelings?_

They were about ⅔ of the way back to the exit when his instincts suddenly started screaming of danger nearby. Worse still, they were halfway across one of the major junctions that had tunnels breaking off in all directions on their level as well as on two levels above them and one below; they were out in the open with multiple places to be ambushed from.

"Eren, run!" His relief at Eren running, for once not questioning him first, was short lived when his sensitive hearing detected a shot from a gun with a silencer and a searing pain exploded in his right shoulder, the impact causing him to stumble. He continued to run to the tunnel on the far side of the junction hall, grabbed his mask out of his pocket, put it on and unphased his wings, opening them just enough to act as a shield protecting both himself and Eren from behind. He felt two more bullets impact uselessly against his wings as they entered the far tunnel.

A few minutes later, Levi could hear the sound of people running behind them. They were in a section of the tunnels that was like a city street, so Levi grabbed Eren's arm and dragged him through one of the doors into an empty room carved out of the bedrock. They both crouched down against the wall near the door, and Eren turned off the flashlight as they waited in the pitch black for whoever was chasing them.

Levi could sense Eren's sudden and understandable fear and apprehension. _I've never been so sensitive to one person's emotions before. It's not like he's the first person I've encountered that wears his heart on his sleeve, but he's the only one who's emotions I feel so strongly. What is it about him?_ His thoughts were disrupted by the sound of someone cursing softly as moving light from multiple flashlights danced around the tunnel outside.

"Shit! Fatty, Smiley, you two keep going in case they kept running. Remember, we need Jaeger alive. The rest of you, start checking every window and door."

He heard two pairs of feet run past the door of the room they were hiding in. His gun was drawn and ready as he heard the others start to search the area. _Sounds like there are 5 left, including the leader. From the names and the fact that he mentioned Jaeger, I'm sure these guys are Titan and not some random drug dealers or gang. Shit! How the fuck did they find out we were down here? Eyebrows is gonna shit himself, but I can't afford to play around. My priority right now is Eren's safety, so it's shoot to kill._

Levi extended his left arm out against the wall to keep the gun pointed at the door, ready to pull the trigger the instant someone stepped through. A patch of light entered the room along the floor, growing brighter as the owner approached. The Titan probably never even saw them before Levi's bullet struck. At first, there was silence immediately following the shot. Levi knew that the echo would bring back the two that had run ahead. _Six Titans left._

Seconds after the first Titan's lifeless body hit the floor, shouting began. "I think it came from this direction!"

"Careful, Trigger! You don't wanna be next!"

"I think they got Knockout!"

Levi looked over at Eren and used his telepathy. **/No matter what happens, stay here and stay down. I'll take these assholes down, but I can't do it if you're underfoot. Keep your gun ready and defend yourself if one of them gets in here./**

Eren nodded in understanding. Levi drew his dagger with his right hand, kept the gun in his left and strode confidently out the door. The Titans were too busy checking doors and windows in a rush to notice him at first. Two of them were dead before they realized they were under attack. _Four left. Two in front and two coming in from behind._ He approached a door he'd seen one of the Titans dive into. The man's breathing was ragged and full of fear, making it easy for Levi to sense his exact position in the darkness. The Super simply reached in the door with his gun and fired at the sound of the man's breathing. _Three left._ He brought up his wings up and around himself just in time to block a bullet from behind as well as from the other side of the tunnel where the other Titan hid.

The two Titans running in from behind came right up to him. _Idiots. _He snapped his wings open, slamming both Titans into opposite walls, turned and shot the one coming out of hiding, shot the Titan that had hit the wall to his left, then the one on the right. _ Last one . . . for now. There are likely more down here somewhere, and the sound of those shots will have traveled for miles down here. _"Let's go, Eren. We'd better find another way out of here," he said quietly as he stood just outside the door from the room Eren was hidden.

Eren was shaking when he cautiously stepped out to the tunnel, gun still at the ready. "How did they-?" he questioned.

"I don't know," Levi replied as he turned and walked back the way they'd come. **/But I think our chances will be better above ground at this point./**

Eren followed silently as Levi led the way back to the junction where they'd been ambushed. He was still wary but led them hurriedly up the stairs to the topmost level. Following the map Hange'd given him, he took several turns that had Eren believing they were going in circles until he stopped outside a grate in the floor. He removed the grate and looked down through before lowering himself down and dropping into the darkness below. Eren swallowed and did the same. He knew it was a fair drop from how long it took for the sound of Levi's boots hitting the floor below to reach him.

Eren grabbed his flashlight and turned it on to find himself on the tracks in a subway tunnel. "Up here." The student turned to see Levi offering to help him up onto the service walkway. Once he was up, he noticed that Levi had removed his mask again and was shoving a can of spray paint into his hands. "If a train comes along before we get to the nearest station, just spray something on the walls. They'll just assume we're a couple of brats spraying graffiti."

One look at the walls told Eren that this was a popular pastime among Shiganshina's gangs, making it a good cover story if they were caught. A few minutes later he heard Levi tell him, "Train's coming," as he raised his spray can to the wall. They were passed by three trains before nearing a station. Each time, Levi drew the same ridiculous thing over the area gang's territorial graffiti.

"The gang is gonna be so pissed," Eren commented. He would have found it funny if not for the severity of their current situation. _And what's with all the freakin' trains at this ungodly hour?_

"That's the idea," Levi replied flatly as he led Eren through the station full of early commuters. The younger couldn't believe it was already after 6:30am. "Stick close, kid. And don't use yours or my name for anything."

"Right." _Damn. No wonder there's so many trains. Didn't realize how long we'd been down there._

They walked silently through the increasingly busy streets towards the edge of town where Levi's car was parked. It was taking far longer than it normally would have, because Levi kept changing direction when he became aware of people watching them. It was nearly noon by the time they finally approached the bunker and the hidden CUV (Compact Utility Vehicle for those who don't know). Eren got the wind knocked from his lungs as Levi suddenly tackled him to the ground from behind. He heard the smaller man grunt in pain at the same time as a bullet impacted the dirt beside them. Levi unphased the car as he scrambled to his feet. "Get in! Quick!"

Still trying to catch his breath, Eren scrambled to car threw open the door and dove in behind Levi. Eren yelped as a second bullet bounced noisily off the driver's side window. The shots were coming from the trees atop the bunker. Several more bullets struck the vehicle as they drove off as fast as the car could go. However, Levi did the last thing Eren expected; he turned and headed into Shiganshina – away from home. "What are you doing?" Eren yelped incredulously.

"The last thing they'd expect me to," Levi replied. "Heading away from headquarters. Titan knows we're here, who we are and why we're here. They're gonna have the highways watched. Do you have a cell phone on you?"

"No. I left it back at headquarters like you told me to."

"Good." Levi pulled his own out. "Call Four Eyes," he instructed.

"Calling Four Eyes," a pleasant female voice said over the car's stereo.

"Cover your ears," he told Eren.

Eren was very glad he'd obeyed as Hange's voice screeched over the stereo. "RAVEN! WHAT'S THE GOOD WORD?"

"I need you to send the signal to fry my phone," Levi answered. "I'll try to contact you again, but no promises."

Hange's voice was suddenly subdued and serious. "Okay, Raven. Be safe. Sending signal now." There was a quick burst of static and then nothing. Levi put the window down long enough to toss the phone out to land in the back of a passing utility truck.

Eren gasped in surprise when Levi suddenly pulled a U-turn that he swore would roll the CUV. Luckily the added weight Hange had retrofitted to the bottom kept the vehicle stable as Levi made a sharp, sudden turn down an alley, then another into a parking garage where he found a hidden area to stop and phase out the car from view. After the engine was shut off, both men sat breathing in short, tearing gasps born mostly of fear and anxiety.

"Fuck!" Levi shouted angrily as he slammed his fists against the steering wheel. "How the fuck did those goddamn bastards find us?"

For the first time since getting back to the car, Eren turned to look at Levi. What he saw nearly caused him to have a panic attack. The grey hoodie and white t-shirt he'd worn were almost completely soaked in blood. Not only from the bullet wound through his shoulder, but also from a wound just above his right ear from where the sniper's bullet had grazed him back at the bunker. The resulting blood soaked the man's hair, down his face and neck and onto his shirts. "Raven, you're bleeding," Eren stated dumbly. "I mean, like, a lot."

Levi didn't look at him as he sighed. "I'll be fine. The one in the shoulder went all the way through and the one on my head is just a crease. It looks worse than it is. Head wounds bleed a lot. Probably stopped bleeding already though." He thought quietly for several minutes, fists still against the steering wheel. "We'll have to assume this vehicle is compromised," he said at length. He grabbed his backpack and got out, and Eren followed his example.

"So now what?" Eren asked once they were two levels below where they'd left the car. "Walk back to Mitras?"

"Not a chance. But I can't fly in my current condition; at least not with an extra load," Levi replied as he walked into a utility room on the ground floor of the garage. "We're just a couple of blocks from the rail yard. Ever hop a freight train before?" Levi removed his hoodie and shirt, placed them in a plastic trash bag he found on one of the shelves and tossed them in a trash can.

"Um, no?"

"Good," Levi replied as he used the utility sink to wash the blood from his skin. "Stupid thing to do. But you're gonna do so now. Unfortunately, the trains going through here are going west, to Ehrmich, but it will, I hope, get us off of Titan's radar for now. I'll figure out how to get us to Mitras from there."

Eren nodded as Levi took out the only other set of clothes he had with him; a pair of worn black jeans and a dark green polo shirt along with an old black leather jacket. "If you gotta take a piss, I suggest doing so now in the floor drain before we go. Disgusting, but better than on a freight car floor."

After Eren had cleaned and covered the wound on Levi's shoulder (Levi told him they didn't have time for stitches) and both men had relieved themselves and changed clothing, they cautiously headed to the rail yard. Most of the cars on the trains carried closed freight containers stacked two high, but there were a few box cars along with a few ore cars in the one just starting to leave.

To discourage daredevils and 'hobos', most cars were closed and locked, however, when a train is over a mile long, things are bound to get missed. Combine that with Levi's skill with picking locks, and no car on that train was safe. He targeted an empty livestock car that had open vents along the top. He had the lock picked in seconds before holding out his hand to pull up Eren, who was jogging alongside the still slow-moving train. Once in, he closed the sliding door and then sank to the floor in the back corner of the car.

"Goddammitall," Levi groaned. "I really liked that car too."

"I'm sorry," Eren said.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Eren," Levi countered. "You've done nothing wrong. None of this is in any way your fault, so get that stupid idea out of your head right now."

Eren smiled wanly. "I'm still sorry. Even if it's not my fault, I'm still sorry you got hurt and lost your car. It was a nice one."

"Yeah."

"So, what's gonna happen when Titan finds the car. You said it was compromised."

"I can't be sure it was, but it seems to be the only likely way that Titan knew where to find us. It may be just a tracking device, or it may have had a listening device, or it may be something else entirely that enabled Titan to follow us. That's why I had us dispose of the clothes we were wearing, just in case." Levi sighed and ran his left hand through his hair in exasperation. "The car has probably ignited by now and is burning itself to a melted pile of useless metal. Hange equipped it with a 'self destruct button'. I really liked that car too," he grumbled again.

There were a few minutes of relative quiet as the train accelerated down the tracks before Eren started talking. "I guess my dad is the one to blame for all of this. I mean, it was an accident that he stumbled on to Titan's work at all, but to . . . to . . . I just can't believe he did that to me. It just doesn't seem like something he would do . . . at least not as I knew him. I mean, he was an awesome dad. He always made time to spend with the family, no matter how busy he got. He taught me first aid, and how to apply stitches and set bones. He took me fishing sometimes, and even deep-sea fishing once. I can remember him having me 'reel in' a big cod. He did all the real work, though, I just had my hand under his on the reel. But I was thrilled at the time – I was only six, after all."

"Honestly, I feel kind of numb. I mean, this is all so surreal. I honestly don't remember going to find Mikasa that time, much less killing her kidnappers. I-I was only seven, for fuck's sake! I definitely don't remember getting hurt. No wonder Mikasa blocked the memory. I'm pretty sure I don't want to remember that either." Tears began running silently down his face as he spoke, knees drawn up to his chest and arms wrapped around them.

"I mean, I get why Dad didn't regret injecting me with those new genes. If he hadn't, I'd be dead and none of this would have happened to me, but . . . I don't wanna be dead, so . . . I don't know what to think. I'm scared. I'm angry; at Titan and at Dad. I'm hurt and I'm sad. I feel guilty, even though you say it's not my fault. I know you're right, but I still feel guilty. I hate Titan for what they've done. They've hurt so many people, including me and my family. I feel so hopeless right now. Titan's reach is so long, and they have so many people, it seems impossible to stop them. At the same time, I don't want to let them get away with this. I want them to suffer. I want to see them all destroyed for what they've done and are trying to do. I don't want to see them win." Eren's green eyes flashed with deepening rage. "Maybe it's impossible to win, but if we don't fight, then we definitely can't win, and if we don't win, then everyone dies. So, we have to fight, if there's even the smallest chance we could win. Do you think there's even a miniscule chance we can win against Titan?"

"We can't know what the future holds," Levi responded. "However, I have reason to believe that yes, there is a chance we can win."

Eren visibly relaxed, his rage dissipating some. "Then I will fight."

Levi actually smiled faintly. "Not bad."

"Can I cry now?"

"If it'll help."

Eren's lower lip trembled slightly before he leaned over onto Levi's left shoulder and began sobbing. Levi put his arm around the younger's shoulder and let him cry. Eventually, Eren fell asleep, but the jostling of the train combined with his constant alertness prevented Levi from doing so.

Several hours later, after the sun had set, the train began to slow. Levi went and opened the door ajar and saw that they were on the edges of Ehrmich. He picked up his backpack with the book and binder still in it. "Grab your shit, Eren. We'll need to jump before we get to the rail yard."

Eren yawned and stretched. "Aw shit. My ass is numb."

"Suck up, buttercup. Mine is too."

Eren snorted as he picked up his pack with the laptop, hard drive and data cards. He had a wicked headache from crying combined with not having had anything to eat or drink since the night before. "Now what do we do?"

"Believe it or not, I actually have some cash on me, so my first order of business is food and water. I have a screaming dehydration headache," Levi replied as he judged the best place and time to jump. "Get ready. When I say jump, we get off. Land on your feet and roll forward and to the side to reduce the impact and chance of injury. Got it?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Now jump."

Since they were near the back of the more than mile long train, they'd been able to wait until the train had slowed to nearly 5mph before jumping off since they were still well outside the main rail yard. After dusting themselves off, Levi led them towards the edge of the city. "Commander made sure I had at least $1,000 cash on me incase shit went sideways. Right now, I'm glad he did."

"So how do we get back to Mitras?"

Levi smirked. "Thought about that on the way here. Gonna rent a U-haul under a pseudonym. I was raised by a less than upstanding citizen who gave me a few false identities. From now on, I'm Eugene Rivaille. You'll need a pseudonym as well. I'm thinking T.J. Phelps. It's just what entered my head first, but whatever. And before you say it, yes, I do get a little weird when I'm over tired."

Eren chuckled. "Didn't you sleep at all on the train?"

"No. I need that time to come up with my brilliant plan. Frankly I can't figure out how you could sleep. The damn thing was loud, stinky, dirty, harder than a fucking rock and bounced around more than a dog humping a leg."

Eren's chuckle turned into a laugh as they headed towards a truck stop diner that was near where they'd disembarked the train. "Thank you for that lovely image."

A rather flustered looking waitress greeted them with a surprisingly genuine smile when they entered. "Evenin', boys. Take any seat that strikes y'all's fancy what ain't already taken. I'll grab y'all some waters 'n menus in a moment."

Levi chose a booth for two in the back corner of the diner. Of course, that was really the only option available, since the diner was crowded, and the small booth had only just been vacated. The previous occupants' things hadn't even been cleared away yet. "Remember, T.J. Our friends have eyes and ears everywhere, so keep conversation to a minimum."

"Right."

It nearly five minutes later when the waitress, a middle-aged woman with artificially blond hair done up in a disintegrating bun held together with a cheap pen and wearing a pair of black shorts and a t-shirt under a red apron finally came over and began to clean up the table. "I'm so sorry, boys. Things are a bit crazy at the moment. Couple of our girls caught the flu and another has kids with the flu, but at least Cookie, our cook is still healthy as a horse! Ain't no self-respecting germ what wants to get near that ornery oaff," She chuckled as the placed two glasses of water on the table. "Sorry the water's a bit warm. Ice machine's broke." Her dull blue eyes widened as the two men drank down the water. "Whooo! You boys is thirsty. Betcha had a long day workin, huh? Perhaps I oughta bring ya a whole pitcher?"

"That would be perfect. One for each of us," Levi finally said.

The waitress laughed. "You betcha!" She placed a menu in front of each while Levi made note of her nametag.

"Are you the only waitress on tonight, Barbara?"

"'Fraid so, hun," she replied. "Be right back with the water."

Levi shifted uncomfortably in his seat. His shoulder was throbbing after being mercilessly jostled on the train ride. Jumping on and off certainly hadn't helped. He already had a dehydration headache, and now a bullet grazing just make everything a thousand times worse. Pain, blood loss, hunger and dehydration were beginning to catch up to him. He leaned his head back against the wall behind him and closed his eyes, too tired to worry about how filthy the wall likely was.

"Here ya go, boys," Barbara said cheerfully as she set down two pitchers of water. "Y'all know what ya'd like to order?"

Levi never opened his eyes. "I'll just have whatever's on special."

"Good choice! Cookie's special homemade meatloaf. It's a customer favorite," Barbara boasted as she turned to look at Eren. "How 'bout you, hun?"

"I need a Double Ranch Burger with fries and strawberry milk shake," Eren stated with a grin. "Please."

"You got it, hun! I'll go put this right in,"

"HEY SWEETHEART! I NEED ANOTHER COFFEE!" a voice shouted from the other side of the diner.

Barbara's smile never faltered. "Okay, okay. Don't get yer undies in a wad."

"That woman does **_not_** get paid enough," Levi said, eyes still closed.

"Yeah," Eren agreed. "Pretty sure I'd've ripped that guy a new one for yelling like that."

Eren was beginning to worry that Levi had fallen asleep. The man didn't open his eyes until Barbara placed their food in front of them less than ten minutes after they'd ordered. "Here ya go, boys. Anything else ya need? Ketchup?"

"Ketchup is evil. Could you tell us where we can rent a U-haul nearby?" Levi asked.

"Sure!" Barbara chirped, giggling at the ketchup comment. "They got a counter at the general store next door. Not sure what size truck ya need, but they've always got a couple of small ones and trailer or three. It's kinda late, but like us and the store, they're open 24/7."

"Thank you, Barbara."

"Of course. Let me know if y'all need anything. I'll be by in bit to check on ya."

Eren had already dug into his burger with gusto, moaning in foodgasm pleasure. Levi rolled his eyes and tentatively prodded at his meatloaf (at least he assumed it was meatloaf – it was hard to tell since it was little more than a misshapen lump drowning in gravy) with his fork. It didn't look particularly appetizing, but it certainly smelled appetizing. The portion was huge, but the carrots looked fresh and not overcooked, and the mashed potatoes, surprisingly, were real and not from a box (evidenced by the obvious lumps and skins). He hesitantly took a bite of the unappealing looking meat and was unable to stop his eyes from widening in surprise.

"It's good, huh?" Eren said around a mouthful of fries. "This burger is incredible." He swallowed visibly. "I expected it to be all greasy and shit, but it's perfect! And the flavor! And the fries are like, real potatoes – skin and all!"

"Same here," Levi replied. "It's surprisingly good."

They ate quietly, Levi surprising himself by eating the entire oversized portion. The diner was still packed to capacity when Barbara, still smiling, came over to clear away the empty plates. "Can I interest you boys in some desert? We have plenty of pie; apple, cherry, blueberry, lemon meringue, and the special for the season, Strawberry-Rhubarb. Comes with a scoop of ice cream."

Eren at this point gave Levi his best puppy-eyes to ask permission. Levi huffed a breath that may have been a laugh as he nodded. "I'll take a piece of that Strawberry-Rhubarb, please."

"Of course, hun! That's my personal favorite . . . well, until peach season anyway. How about you?" she turned to Levi.

"I'll have the same," he said, surprising himself as he'd intended on skipping desert. Considering all they'd been through in the last 24 hours, though, he decided they both deserved the treat.

Two huge pieces of pie later, they relieved themselves once more and went to pay the bill. Levi had made certain to leave a very generous tip.

"Tell Cookie the food was excellent," Levi told Barbara as she cashed them out. "And thank you, Barbara, for your kind service."

"Aw. Well aren't you sweet!" Barbara gushed. Clearly people didn't compliment her as often as she deserved.

They stepped out into the night air and headed down the truck stop walk to the store. The picked up several of beverages and some junk food for the very long drive ahead. Levi also picked up a road map gazetteer, a pre-paid flip phone and a pair of sunglasses. They then rented out a small U-haul truck under Levi's false id.

Two hours later and they were on a scarcely used road in the middle of nowhere pointed in the general direction of Mitras. Levi was avoiding all highways and as many cities and towns as possible. The idea was to only enter towns to get fuel and restock food and drink. However, plans changed midway through the following morning when Eren suddenly yelped in fear. Levi's eyes snapped open to realize he'd nearly driven off the road while dozing at the wheel.

He groaned in frustration. "Do you really not have a driver's license?"

Eren flushed red with embarrassment. "Always lived in the city," he replied. "Never needed one. Everything could be either walked to or biked to or had a bus to it. Not like I could afford a car anyway."

"Then make yourself useful and check the map for a motel near here."

"Right. What road are we on? In fact, what town are we in?"

"We're on Old Province Turnpike and should be approaching Black Mountain."

Eren frowned at the map for a moment. "Geez. It's just this little trading post at the edge of the Carillon Mountains National Park. Guess it's so tiny cuz it's not near either of the park entrances."

"But there are several hiking trails that start nearby, so there should at least be a cheap motel there," Levi insisted.

"Uh . . . yeah! There is! About two miles beyond the town center on this road," Eren confirmed.

An hour later they pulled into the parking lot of a small motel that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. It was a single story with fewer than a dozen rooms and only two other cars in the lot. They dragged themselves into the office to check in. The rather large woman behind the desk grinned when she looked up to greet them. She was tall and muscular as opposed to fat. Her grey hair was held back in a loose pony tail and her face showed a few wrinkles born of age and hard work. Her skin was tanned and weathered from years of sun but her dark blue eyes were full of life and spark.

"Good morning, gentlemen!" she greeted. "Not too often I get new guests at this time of day. One room or two?"

"One," Levi replied wearily.

"Okay. Two twins or a queen?"

"Two twins," Levi said as he signed the register.

There was something almost knowing in the woman's eye as she handed him a key. "Room 10 down on the end. $50 a night. Towels and toiletries are in the bathroom and the cable tv is free – no pay-per-view though. Wait here a sec." The woman went through a door behind her and came back a moment later with a first aid kit. "You might wanna take care of that shoulder before you go to sleep. It's bleeding." She checked around to make certain they were alone. "The Prophet told me I'd be getting a visit from a fellow Super in need of help. My name's Julia, but you probably know me as Eartha Brute. You'll be safe here-" she glanced at the register. "Eugene and TJ."

If Levi was surprised by anything she said, it didn't show on his face. "Thank you. If anyone asks for someone fitting our descriptions, tell them you haven't seen anyone like that."

"Of course. Get some rest. If you need help with anything, let me know."

**_My apologies for not being able to post the images that go with this story. FF.N is not the most user friendly sight._**

**_This story is also posted (with images) on AO3._**


	22. Chapter 22

Nowhere to Hide

Once they had entered their room and locked the door, Levi sank to the floor against the door with a groan. Eren set his pack down at the foot of the far bed from the door. "Are you sure we can trust her?" Eren asked. "And who is she?"

"I sensed no deceit or malice from her," Levi answered. "Eartha is a well-known hero from several years ago. Her power is all things earth; rock, sand, dirt, magma even. If she says we're safe here, she means it."

"She's right about your shoulder. It's bleeding again. Probably need stitches. I took a couple of first aid courses my first two years of university, and my dad taught me before that, so I can stitch that up for you," Eren offered.

Levi groaned again as he stood up and headed into the bathroom. Eren grabbed the kit and followed. The man could barely lift his right arm, so Eren helped him out of his jacket and shirt. Levi scarcely reacted as Eren removed the bandages and exposed the weeping wound. After examining both the back and the front, he said, "Only the exit wound in front is actively bleeding, but neither one has scabbed over. I should probably stitch both. I don't see an anesthetic in this kit, so it's gonna hurt like hell."

"I don't care. Don't want anything that might dull my senses anyway."

"Okay. But if you want to shower, you'll have to do so before I do the stitches, since you shouldn't get them wet." He left the bathroom but kept the door ajar in case Levi needed his help. He nearly jumped out of his skin when there was a gentle knock on the room's door. A quick peak through the peep-hole told Eren it was just Julia.

"I brought over some old clothes that used to belong to my husband. Your friend is going to need a clean shirt, and I figure you both would like something more comfortable to sleep in," she said as she handed a pile of sweatpants, t-shirts and an old blue flannel shirt to Eren. "I'm making beef and barley stew for dinner, so I'll bring some by later for the two of you. Get some sleep, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you,"

Levi frowned at the sweatpants and t-shirt he found by the sink. His frown deepened when he learned Eren had opened the door. "You locked it again, didn't you?"

"Of course, I did!" Eren scoffed. "I'm sleepy, not stupid."

Eren was still a little hesitant about doing it, but he thoroughly cleaned Levi's wounds with hydrogen peroxide before opening up a stitching set in the kit they'd been given, carefully threading the small, curved needle and carefully applying four stitches to the front and three to the back, tying each one off carefully. He then applied an antiseptic salve and covered the wounds.

Levi barely mumbled a thank you before he crawled onto the bed, which Eren had, thankfully, thought to turn down for him and fell almost immediately asleep. Eren, having slept not only on the train, but in the truck as well, stayed awake. He kept his gun beside him on the bed as he watched the television on low volume. It was after 8pm when Julia knocked on the door once again, this time with a pot of stew, two bowls, a basket of hot biscuits with butter and a pot of green tea. Eren thanked her and then locked the door.

He touched Levi on the left shoulder to wake him and couldn't quite figure out exactly what happened next. All he knew was that he was on the floor, Levi straddling him with a dagger at this throat. Eren instantly froze, eyes wide and mouth open in surprise, but not fear. Levi blinked at him in confusion then glared furiously. "What the fuck, Eren?" he hissed. "I could've fucking killed you!"

"But you didn't," Eren responded. "You never kill blindly without good reason."

Levi sagged in relief at Eren seeming to be okay and withdrew the dagger. "That's not the point, shithead," he growled.

"Sorry. But I needed to wake you. Julia brought us dinner." Eren's face was quickly reddening, and he was certain that it was obvious, even in the dim lighting of the room. He couldn't help it. A totally hot guy that he'd had a crush on for years was pinning him to the floor, ass directly over his twitching and unfortunately growing erection.

Levi must have sensed this, because he rolled his eyes and muttered, "for fuck's sake," as he got up. "Get your head out of the gutter, kid."

Now Eren's face was even redder. "Well you were the one sitting on my dick," he blurted out before he could think. At that, he received and even scarier glare from Levi. "Just sayin'."

They ate their stew quietly. Eren then took a shower while Levi remained on guard. Then both of them went to sleep.

It was late the next afternoon when Eren was startled awake by someone knocking at the door. Levi had his gun at the ready as he checked out the peep-hole. It was Julia with an armful of clean towels. He let her in. "I don't know who you've got after you," she said after he'd closed the door. "but a couple of men were here a couple of hours ago asking for two men fitting your description. There were five other people with them snooping around. I told them everyone staying here were hikers."

"That won't fly with the U-haul sitting out there," Levi said.

"They never saw it. I buried it out back."

Eren's mouth fell open. "Whaaaa?"

"She's Eartha Brute," Levi explained. "She can do shit like that easily. They won't even see a disturbance where it's buried. Good thinking, Julia. We owe you. We'll leave within the hour. Chances are they'll follow us and leave you alone."

"That's not what I'm worried about."

"Perhaps, but we need to keep moving. Thank you for everything."

After Eren checked, cleaned and re-covered Levi's stitches (shocked by how fast the wounds were healing) and they'd cleaned up and put their own clothes back on (except for Levi's blood stained shirt, now replaced with the blue flannel of Julia's late husband), Julia unburied the truck (to Eren's utter amazement as he watched a chunk of earth rise up into the air with the truck, the truck set gently down and the earth placed back in the hole like nothing had happened) and they drove off just as the sun was setting.

Levi drove for the next 24 hours straight. Some of the roads they traveled actually had grass growing down the middle. He pulled into a gas station near the edge of a small town and woke Eren. "Sorry to do this to you, but we've got to abandon the truck."

"Are you kidding me? We were on dirt roads through the forest with no houses or powerlines and friggin' 3-foot-tall grass growing down the middle! We had to open a gate, so we could drive across some farmer's field to get to the rest of the road on the other side! How could they possibly have found us?!"

"I don't know," Levi said softly. "I saw one of their cars that I recognized from Shiganshina waiting for us when we pulled off that last dirt road. I think I lost them in the last town by doubling back on ourselves, but they won't be fooled for long. They know where we're headed to. We just have to avoid them in the meantime."

Levi was taking no chances this time. They grabbed their backpacks and walked a couple of miles to a regional high school. As much as he hated to do so, he found a house that had left their laundry out to dry overnight and stole a change of clothing for himself and Eren. The clothing would be too big for both of them, but it would have to do.

Once at the school, they both stripped, showered very thoroughly in the showers by the gym, and put on the stolen clothing. Levi checked the laptop, data cards and hard drive carefully before placing them in backpacks they found in the school's extensive lost & found collection. They also found some nice fitting coats and boots. Levi thoroughly cleaned and checked his knives and both of their guns. Using the flip phone he'd bought, he photographed each page in the book that Grisha had left for Eren as well as everything in the Binder. He then photographed the pages of the gazetteer. In a trash can just outside the back of the building, Levi flash incinerated their old clothes, backpacks, the book, binder and maps.

They remained silent as Levi led them through the increasing dark out of the town and into the forest. It took them until sun-up the next day to intersect with the mountain trail Levi had been aiming for. He continued into the forest beyond the trail until they were well out of sight of it and settled himself in the roots of a large tree. Eren settled beside him with an exhausted sigh.

"I know I said I grew up in the city where everything was usually in walking distance and so I walk a lot, but this is **_not_** walking," Eren huffed. "The city is mostly flat walking and the only obstacles are people and garbage. I swear the trees and rocks are trying to trip me on purpose!"

Levi gave a faint huff of his own in amusement as he dug a package of jerky that they still had left from the truck along with their last two bottles of sports drink. "We'll rest here a few hours and continue on the trail overnight. It'll be slow going, but Titan is likely expecting us to find another vehicle. Hopefully we've eliminated anything they may have been able to track, so they won't be able to figure out we're hiking over the mountains rather than driving through."

"Don't get me wrong; it's a brilliant idea, but damn, it's exhausting. I'm just not used to it." Eren took a swallow of his drink. "So how many days is it going to take us and what are we going to do about food and water?"

"The streams up here are relatively clean, so we just keep refilling our bottles. As for food, we forage. I've had enough survival training to keep us from starving to death up here."

"Mmmmm. Grass and twigs. Yummy," Eren deadpanned.

Levi actually smirked slightly. "Well, lichen, maybe. But at this time of year, since it rained just a few days ago, there's mushrooms, clover blossoms, fish, rabbit, biscuit root, cattail and wild strawberry. Not only that, but lots of hikers use this trail system and camp alongside it, so we can make use of lean-tos and build small fires for cooking. We'll be fine."

Eren sighed. "Well, I suppose if I'm going to be studying volcanoes in remote locations, I'm going to have to get used to roughing it. Think you could teach me some survival tricks while we go?"

"Good idea. I'm sure it'll come in handy when you go up mountains that could explode on you at any moment and kill you while you examine them."

"Actually, I'd be at greater risk of being gassed by a fumarole than by the volcano actually erupting," Eren countered.

"Right, cuz that's a much better way to die."

Eren rolled his eyes before closing them. "I'm gonna get some sleep."


	23. Chapter 23

Impromptu Camping Trip and Home Again

The next thing Eren knew was feeling warm and comfortable. For a moment, he just stayed in his half-asleep state, enjoying the warmth that surrounded him. As consciousness slowly crept up on him, he gradually became aware that he was not laying down. The scent of pine and earth and the sounds of birds singing and wind in the leaves penetrated his sleepy mind. He felt something solid, yet not hard partially supporting his more-or-less upright torso. He sighed in contentment and stretched his hand which was resting on . . .

Eren's eyes flew open in terror. Oh shit! I've been laying on Levi all day! I am SO dead! But damned if he isn't comfortable to sleep on . . . I am SO dead! Sure enough, Eren was resting against Levi's left side, head on the smaller man's shoulder and hand on his chest. Levi's wing was partially wrapped around Eren to keep him warm. Eren leapt back quickly and to his feet. "Sorry," he apologized as his face rapidly flushed red. "My friends tell me I'm a bit of a cuddler when I sleep."

Levi raised a slender eyebrow, otherwise not revealing in any way how amused he was at that moment. "I could tell," he said dryly.

It was early evening, and the golden sun was casting long shadows through the forest. Eren stretched his entire body, a little stiff from sitting on the ground all day and having hiked the entire night before. "We gonna be using the trail?"

"For now. The moon is near full, so we'll have enough light to travel by for the next few nights, providing it doesn't decide to fucking rain on us. Knowing my luck, though," Levi replied as he phased out his wings and started back towards the trail.

"Aw, c'mon!" Eren chided. "Think positive!"

"Okay. I'm positive I have shitty luck, so let's get our asses moving before mother nature decides to piss on us!"

Eren shook his head and snorted. "That is so not what I meant!"

Contrary to Levi's pessimism, the moon shown bright for the next five nights. Though they saw the occasional campfire off the trail, they met no other hikers actually on the trail. But then, most people did not have Levi's keen night vision. True to his word, Levi took the time to show Eren the various plants and mushrooms that were edible and those that were harmful. Eren was surprised at how well they were eating.

The biscuitroot was a lot of work (and at the tail-end of it's season), but the roots were like eating a mild spring parsnip. "That would be because they are a type of parsnip," Levi had told him. The cattails were like eating corn but tasted a little like fresh green beans. They were eating the tails, which are the flowering part of the plant that later would turn brown but were currently green and edible. The wild strawberries that grew in some of the open meadows were tiny, but sweet and far more flavorful than the large cultivated ones. Though not comfortable enough to forage for mushrooms on his own, the ones Levi harvested and roasted over a small fire tasted wonderful.

There was also wood sorrel, or sour-grass, that was a tart but tasty green as well as red clover blossoms. There were several surprises to Eren, such as pine pollen cones, burdock shoots, elderberry flowers, dandelion flowers and spruce tips.

To top everything off, Levi was a phenomenal hunter. It was as if he was built for hunting. In fact, he was. His knife throwing skills got them rabbit for one morning, a goose the next and his claws got them fish on the third. Eren found himself wishing that this was an actual camping adventure and not the life and death struggle to stay out of Titan's reach.

The first flight had taken poor Eren completely off guard. Upon reaching the top of a high ridge their first night, Levi had decided to gain some quick distance and save a night's hiking time by cutting across the deep valley below to pick up the trail again on the mountaintop on the other side. Levi was standing on the very edge of the precipice, his back to Eren when he held his open hands up in front of his shoulders and commanded, "Give me your hands."

Eren regretted not thinking about it before reaching over the smaller man's shoulders (he later chalked it up to his being too tired to really think properly). Levi grabbed his wrists firmly and yanked him forward so his chest was flush against the Super's back. A split second later, Levi leaned forward, spread his now visible wings and fell over the edge. Eren inhaled a loud, long gasp and had all he could do not to scream on the exhale as they plunged downward so fast that the wind made his eyes water. But the flight was controlled, even as they picked up speed, skimming barely above the treetops.

When they reached the valley floor, Levi leveled off, but remained close to the treetops to avoid detection. By now, Eren's fear and surprise had dissipated and been replaced by wide eyed wonder. At the lake (which was actually just a wide area of the river), Levi dove to skim inches above the water's surface; so close that when he finally had to start beating his wings, the tips hit the water. Soon they reached the far side of the valley and Levi's wings began to beat in earnest as he powered up the tree covered slope towards the peak above. Ten minutes after falling off the steep ridge behind them, Levi landed by a stone cairn near the peak of a mountain and let go of Eren; an entire day of hiking down to the valley floor, across the river and up a mountain in just ten minutes.

"That," Eren gasped in awe. "was incredible!"

"It always is," Levi agreed. "And I've been doing it my whole life."

After five nights of hiking and the occasional flight, they finally reached the end of the mountains. Levi was crouched on the edge of a ridge looking over the rolling hills and flatlands below and Eren stood behind him, well back away from the edge. The sun had set, and the sky had the deep blue of dusk tinted with orange in the west behind them. Cities and towns were lighting up. Levi pointed to the north and east of where they were. "See that little bit of glow on the horizon up north there?" he asked.

"Yeah. Looks like the afterglow of sunset, but it's in the wrong direction," Eren replied.

"That's Mitras. Can't see the city itself, but the lights cast a glow on any clouds and pollution and shit," Levi explained. "Gonna miss seeing the stars every night."

"I never knew the sky could look like this. I'd never even seen the Milky Way until our first night hiking! I had no idea there were so many stars that were visible."

"You should see it at 20,000 feet when there's no moon. There's more stars than black sky." There were few minutes of silence while they gazed at the view and Levi considered what to do next. It would be so easy to just fly, but the risk of being seen by other Supers who could be associated with Titan was too high. With a heavy sigh, he retreated back from the edge and under the shelter of the small conifers. He took out the flip phone and manually dialed a number he'd long ago memorized.

"Hello? Who is this?" Hange answered.

"It's me."

Hange inhaled excitedly but refrained from actually screaming their excitement at hearing Levi's voice. In fact, their voice was uncharacteristically calm when they did speak. "So. How's everything been?"

"It's been a cluster-fuck," Levi replied dryly. "Fucking mosquitoes are everywhere."

"Hm. Guess the new bug spray didn't work then," Hange mused.

"Nothing has. They're driving me fucking bat-shit crazy. Everywhere I go, they damn things are bothering me."

"The old man may be able to help. He does a lot of fishing, so he's probably got some really good repellant."

Levi groaned. "I'm pretty sure they just avoid him cuz he's always pickled."

Hange laughed. "I won't argue with you there. Enjoy the rest of your trip!"

Levi groaned again as he closed the phone. "Blows me away that the hundred-year-old fart's still alive."

Eren looked completely lost. "What the fuck was that all about and who is this old fart?"

"Code. Can't be sure of anything right now, so in case the line wasn't secure, and Titan was listening in, we talked in bullshit code," Levi explained. "And the hundred-year-old fart is one Dot Pixis. He leads an international organization called The Garrison. They function outside of the laws that restrict law enforcement and government agencies."

"Wait . . . that's the guy Dad talked about in his letter!"

"Right. So, we can basically kill two birds with one stone. We find out what Pixis knows and get help getting back to Mitras without Titan grabbing us." Levi pointed to the small city nearest their vantage point. "That's Trost. We'll find him there. He owns a bar called Twin Roses."

This flight, instead of skimming the tops of the trees, Levi flew low to the ground through the forest. Eren's heart was pounding as adrenaline coursed through his body while Levi skillfully maneuvered around tree trunks and fallen logs. They stopped just inside the dense forest before it opened up into small rural farms and eventually suburbs. "We're on foot from here. Stay close and stay alert."

Eren couldn't help but wonder how Levi knew all of these obscure routes; tunnels, alleyways, abandoned buildings. He was certainly glad that Levi knew all these paths because it was just past midnight when they reached the alley behind the Twin Roses. Levi put on his mask, went to a patch of blank wall and knocked three times slowly, paused and knocked three times again, once slow followed by two quick. One of the faded red shakes opened outward. "What?" a gruff voice asked as a pair of dark eyes glared out at them.

"I need to see Pixie Dust," Levi stated.

The eyes widened in recognition. "Oh. Sure. Just a sec."

The wall opened outward and Eren followed Levi inside a dark, narrow hall. Once the door had been closed behind them, the man spoke again. "It's been a while. What brings you to Trost?"

"Business. Pixis in?"

"Yeah. The usual spot."

"Thanks, Cassidy."

After a couple of turns down the darkened hallways, Levi went in through a closed door without knocking. Though uneasy about the rudeness of barging in on someone, Eren followed on the Super's heels. What Eren saw was an old man sitting in a club chair in an office and a couple of pretty young women in short skirts, halter tops and stilettos seated on the sofa beside him. The old man was about Eren's height, bald and wrinkled with age (mostly laugh lines, Eren noted) and a grey moustache. At first, the man seemed pleasantly surprised when he saw Levi, but the instant his eyes landed on Eren, they widened.

The man looked at the two women on the sofa. "LeeAnn, show our guests to a private room. Monica, see to it they are not disturbed."

Both women stood. "Yes, sir," they said in unison as they stood. LeeAnn gestured to Eren & Levi. "Follow me gentlemen."

Levi silently followed the LeeAnn, so Eren figured he didn't have much to worry about as he followed too. She led them to a blank wall in the middle of the corridor, where she waved her hand over a seemingly blank patch of wall. A section of said blank wall suddenly shifted outward slightly and slid to one side, revealing an elevator. She opened the doors by placing her palm against a scanner.

Am I the only one here that finds this silence awkward? Eren thought as they rode the elevator down to who-knew-where. Stepping out of the elevator, which was as shabby looking as the rest of the bar and offices above, was shocking. Clean, brightly lit hallways that looked like they belonged in a hospital or military base were revealed. Secure doors, accessible only by retinal and palm scans, lined the corridors. Some of the rooms they led to had windows to the hall. All the rooms were different sizes, and some were computer rooms, others were offices, others still looked like labs.

LeeAnn led them to room with a widow to the hall. It looked like an old study out of some international spy movie, with its walls of books, old wooden desk with a tall leatherback chair, a standing globe, silk shade lamps and a Victorian style sitting area with velvet settee, rococo coffee and side tables and leather wing chairs. Levi snorted as they entered and hung their jackets on the coat/umbrella stand. "Tch! Still cliché as ever, I see," Levi commented.

LeeAnn giggled in response. "True," she agreed. "Just a part of his charm, I guess. I kind of like this room. There's bottled water in the wine fridge. Help yourselves to whatever is at the dry bar. Is there anything else I can get you? Something to eat, perhaps?"

"I could use some coffee," Levi replied.

"The water'll be enough," Eren stated, only to have his stomach growl loudly just to make a liar out of him. "And maybe a little something to eat," he added sheepishly with a blush. "Doesn't matter what."

LeeAnn smiled pleasantly, but even Eren could see that the woman was not someone to be trifled with. There was a dangerous edge to her, just like there was with Levi. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Please make yourselves comfortable."

Eren sat down hesitantly in one of the wing chairs as if he was afraid it was forbidden. "I think Mr. Pixis recognized me or something. Is that why he had us brought down here?"

"He knew your father, so it stands to reason he'd have known of your existence," Levi responded. "This is a secure Garrison facility. Even if he didn't recognize you, he had us brought down here for no other reason than because he knows I wouldn't come to him unless I was into something big."

"Oh. So, you've met him before?"

"Yes. The Scouts work with the Garrison on occasion. This is the only place that's safe for us to talk. Even upstairs may have Titan ears present."

"So how do we know Mr. Pixis isn't working with Titan?"

"Paranoid much?" Levi questioned. "That's good. Makes it more likely you'll stay alive. As for trusting Pixie Dust, he's one of extremely few people I would ever trust at all. He may seem eccentric but make no mistake; the man is every bit as sharp as Eyebrows and equally dangerous."

At that moment, the door opened and Pixis walked in. "My ears are burning. You've been talking about me."

"See what I mean?" Levi said dryly.

"I have to say, I never expected to see you two together," Pixis mused as he went over to the dry bar to get himself a bourbon on the rocks. "I'd ask what you're doing here, Raven, but seeing as you got Eren Jaeger with you, it can only be about Titan. Care for a drink?"

"I'll pass," Levi stated. "Need my senses to stay sharp."

"Same here," Eren concurred.

The door opened and LeeAnn came in carrying a tray with a carafe of hot coffee and a plate of sandwiches and grapes and cheese. She set it on the table with some plates and cups. "Let me know if you need anything else. Commander Pixis will ring me on the intercom if you do."

Eren jumped to his feet as soon as LeeAnn left the room. "What do you know about my dad? Is he still alive? Did he really work for you?"

"Eren," Levi warned.

"No! I need to know!" Eren insisted petulantly.

"Patience. Being rude won't get you what you want to know any faster. Pixis is an ally, not the enemy," Levi countered.

The old man chuckled. "Patience is not a virtue of the young," he mused as he sat down across from where Levi and Eren were sitting. "So, tell me, what are the latest developments regarding Titan?

Eren fumed while Levi told Pixis everything that had happened since first meeting the college student. Pixis looked more and more disturbed as the tale went on. His eyes widened in shock when Levi told him about Grisha injecting some of the gene sequences into Eren. When Levi finished with their hike across the mountains to evade Titan, Pixis shook his head slowly. "I'm very sorry, Eren. I had no idea your father was conducting those experiments. This must be a lot for you to take in." The old man turned to Levi. "I'd like a copy of that book Grisha had."

"I'll upload the pictures to one of your computers before we go. I don't suppose you can tell us anything about Grisha's brother," Levi stated rather than asked.

"Not any more than Grisha did in his letter," Pixis replied sadly. "What I can tell you is that reports of Titan activity have been increasing around the world. We're getting disturbing reports of distorted looking 'monsters', 'mutants' and 'demons' attacking random people and communities. The reports started about two years ago in small, remote villages in Africa, South America and Asia. The tales came out sounding like superstitious nonsense like those tales of dinosaurs in remote jungles but were occurring too frequently in too many different places to be coincidence. About six months ago, the attacks began occurring in small towns and villages in Europe and North America as well. Now they're happening in large city slum neighborhoods." The man took a sip of his bourbon. "Thing is, they seem to be random and we can't figure out what the purpose of the attacks is. Is Titan experimenting, or are these just experiments that escaped? Worse still, there seems to be a 'self destruct' mechanism built into these mutants' DNA. They evaporate within minutes of dying. None have been captured alive. Authorities always end up using deadly force. Even samples taken before the body can evaporate dissolve into useless vapor before anyone can test it. It's frustrating as hell."

Levi glared at the carpet. "I wish these assholes weren't so damn good at covering their tracks."

"Let's hope they never figure out how to make their monsters immortal," Pixis said after another sip of bourbon. "Chances are the key to their success is now in your DNA, Eren. What really scares me is how they found out what Grisha was up to."

Eren was twisting the hem of his shirt in his hand nervously. His brow was furrowed with deep thought and a determined frown. "Maybe they caught him. Maybe he let something slip before he died about me having a key. Even Titan doesn't seem to know what the key is. Thing is, why would anyone want to create an army of immortal monsters? I mean, what's to be gained by creating something that would wipe out all of humanity?"

"Hopefully the book will tell us that," Levi responded. "First things first, though. We need to get back to Mitras without Titan spotting us."

Pixis' eyes twinkled merrily. "I have a boring-ass high society party to go to two nights from now at Mitras tower. I'll be going by private chopper, so you boys can hitch a ride with me. I'll be landing on the Wellington Technologies building. You two will be on your own from there."

Levi snorted with something akin to amusement. "Still hanging around with that loudmouth Shadis, huh?"

Eren looked up. "Shadis? As in Keith Shadis, the president of Wellington Tech?"

"That's the one," Pixis confirmed. "He and his subordinate, Erwin Smith pretty much run the company these days. The owner/CEO does little more these days than show up at gatherings and parties for schmoozing purposes."

Eren's jaw dropped in shock, but he said nothing, and Levi just smirked knowingly.

* * *

During their two day wait to go back to Mitras, Levi uploaded his pictures of the book and of Grisha's files to one of the Garrison's computers. He converted them all to a single PDF document, saved a copy for himself on a thumb drive and printed a copy as well in case the file was damaged. The Titan book made for very disturbing reading. Eren stopped after just a few pages, but Levi forced himself to read the entire thing.

It was early evening two days after they'd arrived in Trost when they boarded Pixis' private helicopter for the 1hr flight to Mitras. Eren's leg bounced incessantly and he fiddled with the now frayed edges of his shirt nervously the entire flight. Part of him fully expected Titan to know he was on board and to shoot the chopper down. But luck, for once, was with them, and they landed safely on the roof of Wellington Technologies.

Levi waited until after dark, flew them down to the parking lot and led Eren down one of the storm drains. The drainage tunnels crisscrossed the entire city and its suburbs. Levi led the way flawlessly back to Scout headquarters.

Before the door into the common room had fully opened, Levi was tackled and crushed in a vice-like hug. "OH MY GOD! LEVI YOUR HOOOOME! I WAS SOOOOOO WORRIED ABOUT YOU!" Hange bellowed. Eren tried to sneak out past them, but they reached out one arm and dragged him into the bear hug. "I MISSED YOU TOO, ER-BEAR! ARE YOU OKAY? MY LITTLE-BOX-OF-GRUMPS DIDN'T TRAUMATIZE YOU DID HE?"

Desperate for air, Levi kneed them in the crotch, to which they toppled with a loud "OOOMPH!" and dragged all three into a tangled heap on the floor.

"Damn it, Four Eyes! I appreciate that you care, but I didn't survive hordes of fucking Titans for a week only to get crushed by a mad scientist the second I finally get safely home!" Levi snapped.

Eren actually chuckled as he tried to get back up. "Nice to see some things never change."

"No shit," Levi agreed. "It's only been a week, but it feels more like years."

Eren didn't remain free for long, for the instant he finally cleared the door, he was again crushed, this time from both sides. Mikasa, now on her feet, and Armin held on to him as if they were afraid he'd disappear before their eyes. Well, at least with them I can still breath! How does Hange hug harder than Mika?

Levi finally made it out of the elevator and into the common area. He was a little surprised when he found himself in a double embrace just like Eren was. Christa was hugging him, and Ymir was hugging them both. "I'm so glad you're okay!" Christa said, her voice muffled from her face being smooshed into his jacket. "When Hange got the call to fry your phone, we were all so scared."

Just so she wouldn't seem too sentimental, Ymir hit Levi on the left bicep. "Yeah. What the fuck, man? Don't scare us like that!"

The faintest of smiles played at the man's lips. "Thanks."

The two girls no sooner released him when he found himself enveloped once again. This time it was Erwin. "I'm very relieved to see you returned safely." He stepped back, hands on Levi's shoulders, and looked the smaller man over. "Are either of you hurt?"

"Just a bullet through my shoulder and crease above my right ear. Soft tissue damage only. Eren's a pretty good field med-tech. Where's Sasha?"

"Over here!" Sasha waved from the kitchen door. "I thought you two could use something to eat. I know I sure could!"

"You just ate an hour ago," Mikasa stated flatly.

"Really? No wonder I'm so hungry. Who wants fish tacos?"

Levi was having a tough time suppressing a smile. "I could definitely use a pile of fish tacos. But before I do anything, I need a shower and a change of clothes."

"Very well," Erwin began. "After you've both had a chance to shower and eat, we'll discuss what, if anything you found."


	24. Chapter 24

Home Again

"Oh my god, Sasha! You're such an awesome cook!" Eren's voice was muffled as he spoke around a mouthful of fish taco.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Brat!" Levi scolded. "Nobody wants to have to see or feel bits of poorly masticated food spitting everywhere."

Eren swallowed noisily. "I didn't spit one crumb out!"

"That's not the point!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, MOM," Eren snarked.

Erwin chuckled. "It's good to have everyone home again."

Hange, who'd been literally vibrating in their seat couldn't contain their excitement any longer. "So, what'd you find? Anything useful? Was there a laboratory? Were there rats and spiders? What di-mmmph!"

"If you'd shut it, maybe we could tell you," Levi said testily after placing his hand firmly over their mouth. "And if you dare lick my hand, I won't tell you shit." He felt them grin under his hand, but nothing more. "You gonna keep your yap shut?" They nodded. He withdrew his hand and was pleasantly surprised by the silence that followed as he got up to go retrieve the backpacks he and Eren had carried all the way from Shiganshina. "For once, this wasn't a wild goose chase. We gained more information in this one trip than we have in all the years we've been hunting Titan combined."

He placed the laptop, data cards, hard drive and the flip phone with the book & file photos in front of a practically drooling Hange, and the printouts of the book and Grisha's files in front of Erwin. "Don't know what's on the laptop, drive and cards. Didn't have time to look through Grisha's files either. But that Book of Titan is a fucking scary as shit read."

"So, you found the basement," Erwin surmised.

"We did. All this stuff was laid out on a table with a letter just waiting for Eren. Oddly enough, Eren's key was actually necessary for us to get in." Levi proceeded to tell everything that had occurred during their travels, Eren filling in the gaps and telling what he remembered about his father's letter.

Erwin frowned. "It disturbs me how easily they were able to track you two. Even more disturbing is how they found you in the underground like they did."

"The fact that Titan has been asking for the key may mean that the knew the lab entrance was there but had no way to unlock it," Levi guessed. "It's possible they were just waiting for us to come and unlock it for them."

"So now that Eren's key is no longer necessary, he's free to come home," Mikasa assumed.

"Not a chance," Armin responded. "You're forgetting what Grisha said about Eren's DNA. We have to function on the premise that Titan knows about Grisha's experiments on Eren and will still want to get ahold of him."

"I'm afraid Armin's right," Erwin agreed. "It's highly likely that they still want to get their hands on Eren. Armin and Mikasa will continue to stay with Hange, while Eren will stay here with Levi."

Mikasa glared. "Why can't he stay with Hange too? If Eren stays here, then I'm staying here too."

"Fat chance, kiddo," Levi snapped. "One brat on my hands is more than enough. He's staying here because this facility is far more secure than Hange's apartment. Albeit, Titan would likely get lost forever if they tried to search for anyone in that disaster area Hange calls an apartment."

"Heeeey!" Hange whined in a mock-hurt tone. "It's not that bad . . . not since the last time you deep cleaned it."

"Tch! I had to call animal control to take away the sabre-tooth dust bunnies! And I'm pretty sure that was a wooly mammoth I found under your bed," Levi accused. "How the fuck anyone can live in such filth is beyond me."

"You know you love me."

"Tch!"

"You said you had a chance to read the book, Levi. Care to summarize?" Erwin interrupted.

"Not really. Like I said, scary as fuck reading. Don't think Eren even got through 4 pages."

Eren visibly shuddered. "I don't see how anyone would actually believe that fanatical bullshit!"

"Me neither. But most fanatical leaders tend to be very charismatic and convincing," Levi replied. "And anyone feeling outcast or left out will just want to belong and feel like they're contributing, so they are easily convinced to join these radical cults. And that's just what this is; a cult." There was no mistaking the haunted look in his eyes, which stared blankly at the table's surface as he continued. "It starts off almost like a Greek myth, but then it all goes sideways. It states that all humanity is fallen and is inferior to what it once was. The Titans abandoned their true power and immortality to pursue love with the weaker, but more sexual and instinctual Nephilim. Each generation became weaker than the last until all humanity was but a shell of what the Titans had once been."

Levi took a swallow of water before continuing. "Here's where shit goes sideways. Roughly a hundred years ago, a goddess took pity on the weakened race that we now call humanity and spoke to a 'prophet' called Alexander Harrington. In a nutshell, the goddess, Maria Rosina, told her 'prophet' humanity could restore their Titan powers and immortality and take their rightful place in the universe once again. It talks about repairing the 'Spiral Staircase', which likely means our DNA. It also talks about most of humanity not being worthy of the Titans' powers, and that many will perish for the good of the restoration. There is some sort of 'purge' that is spoken of to eliminate the weak and a war to eliminate those who would foolishly try to stop the return to humanities 'original' state. Once the Spiral Staircase is repaired and the weak and foolish eliminated, the Titans will again rule the world free of the temptations of the Nephilim. It took those dipshits 152 pages to say that. There's a lot of shit about the Spiral Staircase within each person and how to repair it and how there will be many failures and roadblocks and shit. What was scary was how accurately the whole 'prophecy' has been so far. Even Grisha and Eren are mentioned, though not by name. Eren is referred to as 'The Coordinate' who holds the key to the Spiral Staircase." Levi shook his head in disbelief. "Weird as fuck, I tell you."

Eren was pale and trembling and the others looked shell-shocked. "It would seem that Armin was correct," Erwin said at length. "Titan is still going to want to get their hands on Eren."

"If I kill myself, then this whole fiasco would end, because they'd lose their key," Eren surmised.

"Not a fucking chance!" Levi snapped. "Don't even think about such a shitty thing! Besides, in case you forgot Grisha's letter, you can't die."

Eren suddenly placed his hand over his mouth as he let out a choked sob and tears began running down his face. "I-I don't wanna l-l-live for-forever!" he stuttered in anguish. Mikasa leaned over to try to comfort Eren, but he seemed not to notice as he suddenly turned and threw himself at Levi, sobbing onto the startled man's shoulder.

Levi, usually so expressionless, looked like a deer in the headlights. He had no idea what to do other than wrap his arm around the sobbing young man while Mikasa glared daggers at him and the others looked just as lost as he did.

Only Hange seemed unaffected. "You know," they said at length, when Eren's sobs finally quieted to sniffles. "Grisha made the changes to Eren's DNA after he was born. That should mean that those changes can be undone. If I can fine the exact sequence of DNA that makes Eren immortal, I can find a way to neutralize it and make him mortal again."

"God, I hope so," Eren whimpered.

Levi ruffled Eren's hair before standing up. "Listen, it's been a longer than fuck day following a longer than fuck week. I think Eren and I have earned a couple of days of sleep while the rest of you go through all that shit we brought in."

"Good idea," Erwin agreed. "Hange, you go through the hard drive, data cards and laptop. Ymir, Christa, you and the others go through the files and see what you can find out from them. We'll reconvene tomorrow night. Levi, Eren, you two are get some rest. I don't want to see either of you until the night after tomorrow, understood?"

Levi stretched and headed towards the elevator. "You'll get no argument from me." He never turned to look at them as he stepped into the elevator, but he could tell that the others were all staring at him in open mouthed shock. "I know. It's quite a shock. But that should tell you exactly what a shit week I've had. Eren, come up whenever you're ready. Don't worry about waking me."

As soon as Levi was gone and the others gathering up everything to head home for the day, Mikasa grabbed Eren by the arm and dragged him to the other side of the room. "Mika! What's going on? What are you . . ."

"Why him?" she hissed

"What?"

"Why him? I was right there beside you, ready to hold you, but you turned to him!"

Eren was shocked to see tears in her stormy eyes. "Mikasa, I . . ."

"How could you choose that evil little pipsqueak over me? Can't you see? He's turning you against me! I agree that I was smothering you before, but now you won't even turn to me for comfort! I love you, Eren. He'll never be able to give you that! He'll never love you like I do! He's not even capable of love!"

Eren's eyes widened with sudden understanding, then lowered to the floor. "Mika. I'm sorry. I never realized you felt like that about me. I guess my friends are right when they tell me I'm more than a little dense." Eren heaved a sigh as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. First the week from hell of constant running and finding out he was immortal and the key to making humanity immortal, and now his sister tells him she's in love with him. He was at a loss as to how to respond. I just can't win. No matter what I say, she's gonna get hurt. "I'm so sorry, Mikasa. But I just don't feel the same way. You're a wonderful sister, and one of my best friends. I love you as a sister and best friend, but that's all. I'm so sorry. I just can't change how I feel."

Mikasa pulled her scarf up over her nose, tears falling a little heavier. "I was afraid of that," she whispered. She then leaned in and hugged him. "Forgive me. I shouldn't have put you in such an awkward position." A moment later she released him, a befuddled frown on her face. "Buy why him? I mean, what do you see in such a short, rude and angry thing?"

Eren's eyes widened. "Wait. You think I'm in love with him?"

"It's pretty obvious."

He looked deflated. "I guess it's because after all the time I've spent around him, I've gotten to see glimpses of what he's really like. He's actually very kind and selfless, but he's afraid to let anyone get close to him or let himself get close to others. He just wants to protect everyone even if he has to do it all by himself, no matter what the cost."

"So, it's not just about his ass then?"

"What?! No! I mean, he's got a great ass, but that's just icing on the cake."

"Fine. I'm not happy about it, but Mom always said that one can't help who they fall I love with, so I'll accept it and support you," Mikasa said.

"Thanks, Mika. And thanks for being honest with me . . . and making me honest with myself."

Mikasa nodded in reply as Eren stretched and yawned loudly. "Well, like Levi said, it's been a shit week, so I'm gonna go to bed. Have a good night."

Eren headed up in the elevator and stepped out into Levi's apartment before it hit him. Wait. Why am I up here? I should be down on the sofa . . . I mean, I know he told me to come up, but . . .

He glanced around and found Levi curled up in a Papas An chair in the corner. Eren frowned.

"You just gonna stand there like a bump all night?"

Eren jumped in surprise. "Sorry. Thought you were asleep."

"Not yet. Bathroom's down the other end. Don't make a mess."

"But . . . you should be in your bed, not in a cramped chair," Eren protested.

Levi finally opened his eyes. "It's more comfortable than you think."

"I'll sleep down on the sofa."

"The others will keep you awake."

Eren's frown deepened. "Fine. But your bed is huge. It's like it was made to hold three Erwins in it. I really don't see why we can't share it. I won't try anything if that's what your worried about."

Levi sighed. "I'm more worried about what I'll do to you. I have nightmares and tend to lash out when I come out of them. Clawed Erwin across the chest one night."

Eren replied with a smug smirk. "I can't die, remember. I heal within minutes."

"That doesn't mean hurting you is in any way acceptable!" Levi snapped.

"I'm sorry. That's not what I meant. I'm just saying that you should sleep in your own bed. We've shared sleeping arrangements for the past week. I'm not dead or hurt in anyway. You have better self control than you give yourself credit for. I'm not afraid of you. I trust you," Eren reasoned.

Levi stood from the chair and stretched. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."

"I would never," Eren said. "I'm just gonna shower before bed." Just as he reached the bathroom door, a thought struck him. "Wait, you scratched Erwin when waking up . . . you've slept with him?"

"Hange too," Levi replied. "I'm not celibate."

Eren almost choked, his face turning instantly red. "I meant sleep, not sex!"

"Well I've done both with both of them – at the same time on occasion. It's a stressful job and sex is a great way to blow off steam and de-stress."

"So, you're gay? But is Hange a guy?" Now Eren was just confused.

Levi rolled his eyes. "I'm pansexual. As long as they're a decent adult human being and still breathing, they're fair game. Giving pleasure to and receiving pleasure from another is not about sex or even gender. It's about being human. Most people have a preference regarding sex or gender. I do not. Never have. Now are there any other pressing concerns regarding my sexuality, or can I go to sleep now?"

Eren, now very red in the face mumbled a "Sorry" as turned and walked into the bathroom to shower.

It was very warm. Almost too warm . . . almost. Levi was more comfortable than he'd been in a very long time, if ever. Before he could analyze his current condition any further, sleep again pulled him under. He didn't know how much time had passed when he again began to wake up. He was again aware of warmth and comfort. He became aware of a soft, warm breeze intermittently ruffling the hair atop his head. As he slowly woke up further, he became aware that he was entangled with another body and that the breeze was someone's breath. Funny. I don't remember sleeping with Hange or Erwin last night. He opened his bleary eyes and found himself looking at someone's neck and collarbones. The chest beneath his hand wasn't soft enough to be Hange, and nowhere near muscled enough to be Erwin.

He was so comfortable that he didn't bother thinking about it further for several minutes as he allowed full wakefulness to take hold. Then he remembered the previous night and his conversation with Eren. He lifted his head quickly from under the person's chin to look at them properly. Dammit! What is wrong with me? Since when did I get so friggin' soft? What is with this kid? He scolded himself as he looked down at Eren's sleepy face as the young man stirred awake.

"Mornin'," Eren grinned sleepily up at him as he stretched.

Levi scrambled out of the bed and stood for a moment looking down at the stretching and yawning student. He then sighed and ran a hand through his sleep mussed hair as he glanced at his clock. His eyes widened as he realized how long he'd slept.

Eren sat up and looked at him funny. "What's wrong, Levi?"

In his astonishment, Levi actually answered the question honest and unfiltered. "I just slept for almost 20 hours," he breathed in awe. "I've never slept that long before. Not even after sex."

Poor Eren just blushed, having no idea how to respond to that. Levi however, was wondering what had made the difference. I never sleep more than three to four hours unless I've had sex. I've had weeks a lot worse than this last one but didn't sleep this much afterwards. The only difference this time is that I had Eren beside me. I wish I knew what was so goddamned special about this kid.

The next few days were spent with mostly training. Eren's hand-to-hand combat skills were rapidly improving. He spent the rest of his time working on his thesis. Even so, Eren was going a little stir-crazy being cooped up in Scout headquarters all the time. But, after what happened the last time he just left on his own, he wasn't keen on trying it again.

Eren wasn't the only one with cabin fever. It was decided by Erwin at Armin's suggestion, that in order to throw off Titan, that Levi should also remain out of sight to make them believe that he and Eren were still trying to find a way back to Mitras. As much as Levi hated it, he had to admit that "the blond coconut" and "old Eyebrows" both had a point. "That doesn't change the fact that I'm going bat-shit crazy here," Levi stated out of the blue as he paced the common room.

Eren, who had been deep in his research, nearly jumped out of his skin at the sudden, and seemingly random statement. "Um . . . okay?"

Levi turned to look at the befuddled student. "See? Just proves my point," he drawled, his face as bored and expressionless as ever.

Eren stretched, his back popping as he did so. "Too much time hunched over this laptop. I'm glad Hange gave me this one, since I can't use my own. Still, I'm going crazy being stuck in here all the time too. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I miss going to classes. Even the ones that require me to get up before the sun!"

"That is bad," Levi agreed. "My problem is that I'm realizing just how fucking boring my life is. All I do is fight crime and sleep. I don't have any hobbies. I don't like TV. I don't watch movies. I can't stand playing board games or cards. Computer games are boring. I've already read everything available here, including all that Titan shit we brought back. I can't really cook anything. I really don't do anything."

"Have you tried gardening?" Eren suggested.

"Where do you suggest I put a garden in here?"

"Pots. You could try a potted geranium. Pothos plants are easy to grow. Spider plants too. They have bazillions of babies all the time, so you can fill a room with them in no time. You could even have a kitchen garden. Potted herbs are great for cooking with."

"You're talking to a man that killed a cactus. You know what that means, don't you? I'm even less nurturing than a desert."

Eren started chuckling. "How did you kill a cactus?"

"I think I drowned it."

Eren burst out laughing. "Gotta say, that's a new one!" Once he calmed down, he made another suggestion. "You know a lot about the outdoors. You know all about wild plants and animals. You also know a lot about survival. You could teach survival training courses. People pay a lot of money for that kind of thing and experience. Once this whole Titan mess is over, you should try it. I mean, I learned a ton just during the few days we were hiking across the mountains. I'd love to learn more."

Levi stood there for a moment, trying to think of a reason to shoot the younger's suggestion, but the idea actually had merit and he found the possibilities to be interesting. "Huh. Not bad, kid. Not bad at all."

"For now, though, maybe we could play Cards Against Humanity? Pretty sure you'll like this card game."

Eren was right. Levi loved it.

Days soon became weeks with no signs of increased Titan activity and no progress in tracking down their leader. Mikasa had fully recovered, and shocked everyone in the Scouts, but none more so than Levi, when she asked Levi to train her. Levi decided that if Armin was going to be stuck hanging around Hange all the time, then perhaps it would be wise to train him as well. It felt good to be doing something besides sitting around all day as he started training Eren, Armin & Mikasa all together full time. Having Mikasa spar against Eren and Armin quickly taught her to control her strength.

Looks were deceiving when it came to Armin. Looking deceptively delicate, Armin was surprisingly agile and quick. More importantly, his observation skills combined with his strategic brilliance to create a surprising force to be reckoned with. Though lacking in brute strength, Armin often beat both Mikasa and Eren on wit alone. The blond's strength and stamina rapidly increased. After only a month of training, he could run almost 5 miles on the treadmill without looking or sounding like he was about to die.

Levi started calling Armin 'dandelion'. When Mikasa angrily questioned Levi about it, he explained, "Frankly, I was expecting him to be a fragile as a daffodil. Turns out the kid is a tougher than nails dandelion."

"Tougher than nails dandelion? Aren't dandelions easily crushed?" Eren questioned.

"Not really," Levi replied. "Think about it. Dandelions are the most hated weed in the world. Why? Because they are the toughest, most persistent, most resilient plants on the planet. They're impossible to get rid of. You can pull them. You can burn them. You can poison them. You can dig them up and eat them. The tenacious little shits just keep coming back. All it takes is the tiniest bit of root. Just the tiniest seed that floats delicately on the wind becomes the toughest weed on earth. I've seen the damn things blooming in friggin' January or growing out of tiny cracks in cement."

Mikasa frowned in thought, then said cheekily, "So, basically, you're calling Armin an annoying weed."

Armin and Eren both snorted out a laugh. Levi pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's all you got out of what I said? The humble dandelion is God's way of giving dignity to weeds. They are a member of the lettuce family, and, like lettuce, are edible. Dug up in the spring, the leaves and roots are good both raw and cooked. They can be used to make wine and vinegar. The flowers are also good in salads and in baking. They are high in vitamin C and antioxidants. The plants themselves can hold soil and prevent erosion. The pollen and nectar are both vital food sources to bees and many other animals. A weed? The dandelion is tough, but also very useful. Sounds a little like your friend here, doesn't it?"

Mikasa and Eren both regarded Armin thoughtfully, while the poor blond stood there turning red with embarrassment. "I guess I've always really underestimated you, Arm," Eren said at length. "I'm really sorry."

"I never thought of myself like that either," Armin muttered bashfully.

"Being under-confident is every bit as dangerous as being over-confident. Don't underestimate yourself," Levi told them. "Of equal importance, you now know that others underestimate you, so you can use that to your advantage."

Mikasa opened her mouth to say something, but never got the chance since Hange exploded into the gym and bellowed excitedly, "I FOUND IT!"

Eren and Armin looked like they wanted to dive for cover. Mikasa and Levi both turned to the loud intrusion with matching bored expressions. "And what, exactly, did you find that is worth scaring the shit out of everyone with your screaming, Four Eyes?" Levi asked in a bored tone.

"I found the gene that makes Eren immortal!" Hange exclaimed. "More importantly, I know how to switch it off! I can infect him with a virus that will latch on to that specific DNA sequence and disable it. I can make him mortal agai- OOMPH!"

Hange never got to finish their sentence as Eren collided with them and wrapped them in a crushing hug. "Oh my god, Hange! Thank you so much! You saved my life!" Seconds later, everyone fell silent as a foreign sound echoed in the gym. Eren and Hange looked each other in the eye for a moment, then both turned to look at Levi, eyes wide and jaws hanging open. Armin's, and even Mikasa's usually expressionless face had looks of consternation.

Levi couldn't even begin to explain why the sight of Hange getting a taste of their own medicine struck him so funny in that moment. It was likely the combination of the sound of their "OOMPH" combined with their eyes bugging out of their sockets, amplified by the goggles they were currently wearing. Whatever the reason, the man was almost doubled over with laughter. "I would pay to see that again!" he guffawed.

"Oh, my gawd! Is Levi laughing? Hell must have frozen over! I should run upstairs and witness the pigs flying!" Hange teased.

Levi flipped them off as he tried to catch his breath. "Fuck you! Now you know what it's like for us when you try to tackle-hug us."

Armin was trying to suppress his chuckling. "The look on your face when Eren impacted was priceless," he agreed.

Levi was already serious again. "How fast can you get that virus made? It might be prudent to have a large supply on hand in cast Titan figures out a way to activate that immortality gene."

"I've already got a small amount; enough to inject Eren with. I can create enough to inoculate all of Mitras within about a month, given the proper facilities."

"We should talk to Eyebrows about letting Pixie Dust in on this," Levi contemplated. "That old codger has connections everywhere and can probably get you into a Garrison facility where you can mass produce that virus. If Titan develops a serum that can make people into the monsters their book describes, we're gonna need a lot of your cure."

"Right," Hange agreed. "Eren, I can give you the injection any time you're ready."

Eren's brow furrowed in thought. "I need to think about it. My first impulse was to have you give to me right away, but . . . if I get it now, and I get killed before Titan is eradicated . . . I mean . . . I want to fight Titan. I want to wipe them from the face of the Earth. I can't do that if I'm dead. I just . . . I need to think about this first."

Mikasa looked at him funny. "What happened to my hot-headed brother who always jumps in head first?"

"Titan happened," Eren said flatly.


	25. Chapter 25

On the Run Again

Levi wasn't sure what it was that woke him up. He awoke with a start and jumped out of bed with a dagger in his hand and senses on high alert. He couldn't hear anything out of the ordinary, but his mind was screaming of danger. He'd not had any nightmares, so he knew it wasn't because of a dream. Residual night terrors felt different from this. He reached out telepathically and immediately found the source of his alarm. He moved in an instant.

"Eren. Get up!" He called as he threw on the nearest pair of jeans, a t-shirt, his combat boots and a denim jacket.

"Wha?" Eren asked sleepily but was wide awake a second later when he saw Levi hurriedly dressing and grabbing a couple of back packs. Eren was already out of bed and dressing by the time Levi replied.

Levi tossed the two packs to Eren. "Get dressed quickly and grab your computer and notes. Titan's found headquarters."

Eren felt his heart skip a beat and then start racing. "But how?"

"Don't know. Stay hear and pack up as much as you can. I've got to go down and grab what I can before I destroy everything."

While Eren stuffed the back packs with an extra set of clothes and toiletries, Levi rushed about the common room grabbing everyone's laptops, the stuff they'd gotten from the Jaeger's basement as well as several guns and knives. He then went to the server behind Hange's work station and pressed the kill switch that Hange had installed. Though he knew that this would set the building ablaze after killing all the computers, he put on his flint & steel rings and lit the common room ablaze. He returned to the elevator, and just as it was going up the last thing Levi saw was the door to the common room blowing in and a half dozen Titans cursing as they entered the burning room.

Levi locked the elevator up at the apartment. "Eren, follow me, quickly." He grabbed one of the two back packs Eren had packed and led him to the corner of the room opposite the bathroom. Eren's mouth fell open as a door opened into a small, dark hallway. The door was so well hidden, that unless someone already knew it existed, they would never be able to find it. Levi pushed Eren in and then lit the apartment ablaze. Eren watched in confusion as the Super, now wearing his mask, muttered something under his breath, kissed the tips of his right index and middle fingers then placed them against the wall beside the door. A soft green light pulsed where he touched the wall and then rapidly spread outward. Eren saw nothing more as Levi closed the door, plunging them into blackness.

Levi moved through the dark on memory alone, pulling stumbling Eren along behind him. He'd made practice runs through these passages literally thousands of times before. His body had literally memorized every step, every turn, every stair. Not being able to see was not a problem. Through three more doors, and after descending what felt like hundreds of stairs, Levi opened a door that let light flood the passageway. Eren blinked in pain at the sudden intrusion of light. He was amused a few moments later when he realized that the light was actually the dim light coming from a service tunnel deep below headquarters.

Levi closed the door behind them, the door blending seamlessly with the rough walls of the tunnel. He placed his hand against a spot next to the now hidden door and a small cubby hole was revealed. He pulled out the phone that was in there, along with the $1,500.00 in cash. He immediately dialed a number he'd hoped he'd never have to use. It rang only once before there was a soft beep, followed closely by four more.

"This is a burn notice. I'll see you at the office," Levi said before immediately hanging up. He smashed the phone against the wall, then set it ablaze. The flames burned so hot that the entire phone melted into a plastic and metal puddle.

"That is so cool!" Eren whisper shouted. "How do you do that?"

"I'll explain later when we're safe. Follow me." Levi turned and began to jog down the tunnel, Eren following close behind. They hadn't gone more than fifty feet when the ceiling above them cracked and caved it. They were barely able to get out of the way in time to avoid being crushed. Levi's reaction was instantaneous. He had seen the body that came down through the ceiling with the debris. He was on the person in an instant, a dagger at their throat. Barely a second later, he sheathed the dagger, whipped out his Remington and fired four shots, killing four Titans that were shooting at them from seventy feet over head where the road ran by the now burning Scout headquarters.

Everything was happening at a dizzying speed and Eren could barely keep up with what was going on. Levi grabbed up the body that had fallen through the now gaping hole and ran. Eren had enough of his wits left about him to turn and run. Levi led them through and endless maze of turns, ups, downs. Eren thought, _How in the hell can he know where he's taking us? I'd be lost forever down here. I don't think I'd . . . wait . . . I KNOW we've passed that graffiti before! Are we running in circles?!_

The body Levi was carrying, along with two loaded backpacks, picked that moment to begin kicking and protesting. "Hey! What the fuck?! Put me down! What's Eren doing here?"

In a blinding fast move, Levi stopped, dropped both packs, yanked the body from over his shoulder and slammed it against the wall, pinning the person there with a firm, though not choking hold on their throat. "Northwind, you goddamned useless pain in the ass!" Levi snarled at him, keeping his voice low. "Shut your goddamned mouth! We're trying NOT to get found here. If not for your idiotic blundering, Titan would have never figured out how we got out of that building. Now, thanks to you, they know we're underground. If they get their hands on Eren, whom you seem to know and presumably care about, we can all kiss our asses goodbye. So thanks a lot, Asshole."

Eren stood behind Levi, mouth agape since he recognized the masked individual in Levi's grip. Northwind, for his part was sputtering uselessly, trying to come up with a reply. "Are you always this articulate?" Levi asked dryly.

"I was just trying to help!" the young Super finally got out. "I saw a building in flames and wanted to make sure everyone got out and maybe help to put it out."

"By doing what, dipshit? Blowing on it? Spreading it even further? I'll let you in on a little secret. Those flames were infused with magic. You can't put them out. By the time they're done, there will be nothing but ash and glob of metal left. All you've done is paint a huge target on your back for Titan. By showing up there you put yourself on their shit-list. Those of us who've been fighting them for years can barely stay ahead of them. So, a wet behind the ears, untrained whelp like you will be dead by the end of tonight."

"Raven, you're not gonna just leave him here, are you?" Eren asked in horror. "I know who this is, and though he's a bit of a prick, he's still a good friend and he means well."

"Means well?" Levi repeated. "You and I both know what the road to hell is paved with. This bozo damn near got himself killed and nearly you and me in the process."

Northwind sagged in Levi's grip. "You're right. I do seem to only screw things up. Honestly, I had no idea that this was an attack. I just saw a building on fire and rushed in to help. I don't wanna waste these powers of mine. I just want to protect people."

Levi sighed an exaggerated sigh of exasperation and let the Super go. "As pissed as I am at you right now, I can't fault you for having your heart in the right place. But, goddammit you piss me off."

"Alright. So, I need training," Northwind retorted. "but it's not like there's a Super hero school or anything out there. How is one supposed to get training except by experience?"

"The same way I did. You find someone who has the skills you need to do your job and have them teach you," Levi replied.

"You have the skills I need," Northwind pointed out. "You should train me."

Levi groaned. "Right, so you can be an asshole just like me. No thank you. I'm too busy trying to keep this one alive," he said, pointing his thumb over his shoulder at Eren.

"Aw, c'mon. You're already training me and my friends. What's one more?" Eren pressed.

"A bigger headache is what," Levi growled. "Come on. We need to keep moving. Let's get one thing straight, windbag. You do only what I tell you to do, exactly what I tell you to do, when I tell you to do it. Absolute silence until I say otherwise. All our lives are at stake here. Fuck up just once and I'll kill you myself."

Northwind swallowed visibly but nodded his head in compliance.

They continued running through the maze of underground tunnels and sewers and Eren swore he heard Levi grumble, "This is the last thing I need right now. That horse-faced windbag has the worst goddamned timing."

Eren's legs and lungs were burning by the time Levi finally stopped at a random spot in rough, catacomb-like tunnel. He placed his palm against the wall, but this time Eren wasn't surprised when a door appeared. Inside was a small room with a table and chairs, a couple of cots folded against one wall along with some blankets and pillows, a sink and counter-top in one corner, metal shelving unit with weapons and first aid supplies and an open door opposite the entrance that led to a bathroom.

Levi closed and sealed the door once they were all in. "We can talk now. This is a safe spot that only the Commander, Codex and myself know of."

"What about the others?" Eren asked.

"That call I made earlier was to them. It's a special line that Codex set up in case headquarters was ever compromised so we could notify all Scouts. We each carry a device that responds to the signal. I had hoped never to have to use it. But Titan is nothing if not resourceful. It stands to reason that they would eventually find headquarters just by watching our comings and goings. They have people everywhere after all." Levi was now more speaking his thoughts out loud to himself rather than to Eren and Northwind.

"Good thing Codex created a 'self destruct' mechanism for the computer server and the building itself. Titan will get nothing from it," Levi continued. "We'll stay here for at least 24 hours before going to join the others. Needless to say, in our line of work it pays to have several backup bases and multiple escape plans."

"So, we're stuck here. You know, a few months ago I was an ordinary college student well on his way to a master's degree," Eren lamented. "Now I'm an experimental freak on the run from the largest and scariest crime organization on the planet that wants to use me to create a race of immortal monsters! This is like some fucked-up sci-fi horror flick!"

"Not gonna argue with you there, kid," Levi agreed.

Northwind raised his hand like a kid in school. "Um, can I ask a question?"

"Shoot," Levi replied.

"What's all this about Titans and magic and monsters and experiments and shit?"

Levi snorted. "Long-ass story. Titan is a global organization of religious fanatics trying to 'restore' humanity to its 'original' glory. Eren here is one of the keys to that agenda. And shit is exactly what all this is."

"And the magic? You said those flames back there were magic."

"Yeah. And you said you'd explain once we were safe," Eren reminded.

"You're right. I did. According to the Prophet, I have the ability to use magic; or rather, my soul has the ability. I've been using it most of my life without really realizing it. In times of desperation I will use it without knowing why or how I know to," Levi explained.

"So, what you did back at headquarters, to the wall and to the phone; that was magic?" Eren asked.

"Yes," Levi confirmed. "I used an incantation to make the flames at headquarters burn hot enough to incinerate everything, including the brick. Those flames were hot enough to melt tungsten to a molten puddle. As for igniting the fires, I use these rings. One is steel, the other flint. I snap my fingers . . ." He demonstrated by snapping his fingers and sparks flew. "I can take those sparks and ignite the air itself, creating a plasma fire." He demonstrated again and this time the sparks became a small ball of flame. "This fire burns at approximately 3100° Fahrenheit. A little telekinetic push and it easily ignites anything around it."

"That is so cool!" Eren exclaimed.

Northwind, however, sat down at the table and buried his face in his fists. "This too much. One minute I'm going to help put out a fire and rescue people, and the next I'm on a global mafia hit list in the wizarding world of Harry Potter." He then looked up quick, his eyes wide in horror of a sudden realization. "What about my family? They have no idea what's happened to me! They don't even know I do this! Mom's gonna freak when she can't find me in the morning! I've got a test tomorrow in my psychology class!"

Levi was surprised that he felt sorry for the poor guy. "Sorry, kid. But you can't contact them. In all honesty they'll be safer this way. Yeah, they'll freak out and feel sad and scared, but they'll be alive and safe."

"Raven's right," Eren agreed. "it's safer for everyone if you drop off the face of the Earth. I've had to do the same thing. I know it's harder for you cuz you've got family, but at least you'll know they're safe."

"I'm so sorry for messing everything up. I just wish I could tell Mom how sorry I am," Northwind moaned.

"Then don't die. You can tell her after this shitstorm is over," Levi told him.

Northwind took in a deep breath through his nose and let it slowly out his mouth. "Right. If I'm gonna survive this, then I need to know what's going on and I need training to hone my skills." He gave Levi a shit-eating grin as he said the last part.

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose. _Dammit. I walked myself into that one. _"Fine. We'll start with what you need to know about Titan." The next few hours were spent telling Northwind everything they knew about Titan, and some of what Eren's involvement was. By the time they finished, Northwind looked very pale and scared, but also very determined.

"Man. That's even more messed up than I was imagining. When I started this whole Super Hero gig, I just wanted to help people, you know? I never wanted to get involved in something like this. But I guess taking down Titan will be helping a lot of people at once, So I'm in. Just tell me what to do," Northwind proclaimed.

"Get some sleep," Levi instructed. "We'll figure out what to do tomorrow."

* * *

Eren woke up hours later with a crick in his back from sleeping on the floor. He found Levi asleep sitting at the table with his head resting on his arms. The Super was seated so that he was facing the only exit from the room, his gun resting in the table in front of him where he could grab it in a split second if needed. _I've never seen him this nervous before, _Eren thought. _I mean, he's always cautious, but now he seems flat out scared. After what happened in Shiganshina and now headquarters, I can't say as I blame him. I'm absolutely terrified. I don't know who I can trust anymore! The only people I can really trust are Levi, Mikasa and Armin. I guess I trust the Commander and Codex and the other Scouts too, since Levi trusts them. _

Levi stirred and opened his eyes. Deep shadows surrounded his silver eyes, making them seem even lighter and more ghostly than they already were. It was then that Eren realized that Levi wasn't wearing his mask. "Um, Raven?" whispered. "You took off your mask?"

"If Windbag over there is going to be joining us, he's going to know who we are anyway," Levi whispered back. "Go back to sleep. There's nothing for us to do in the meantime."

Eren tried but failed to fall asleep. He ended up pacing the room agitatedly. If he'd felt restless at headquarters, he felt positively claustrophobic in this small room with no windows. Levi didn't feel the need to chastise the younger, seeing as he was doing the same thing. Northwind woke up to the two men pacing the room. He watched them both in silence for several minutes before he finally cleared his throat, causing poor, strung-out Eren to jump out of his skin with a very unmanly shriek.

"You sound like a Chihuahua got stepped on," Levi commented dryly.

"You scream like a little girl, Eren," Northwind chuckled.

"Shut up, horse face!" Eren retorted.

Northwind cocked his head to the side. "So, you really do know who I am."

"Um, yeah. But I haven't told anyone!"

"He hasn't exactly done very well keeping it a secret," Levi added.

"Wait. You know who I am too?" Northwind gasped. "But . . . I'm so careful!"

"Not as careful as you think," Levi retorted. "Jean Kirstein, aka Horse Face; friend of Armin Arlert and Eren Jaeger. Close friends with Marco Bodt, the son of Daniel Bodt. Student at Trost University majoring in structural engineering. Grades slipping from straight A's to lower B's and C's since taking up being a Super Hero." Levi continued when Jean just stood there with his face red and his mouth hanging open. "You blew it the day Armin Arlert was kidnapped. You told me he was your friend and was taken from your home. We already knew where he'd been taken from, so it was a dead giveaway. Not that I hadn't already fully researched you the first time you screwed up out in the field and Huntress had to bail you out."

Jean stood there opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water until Eren couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Really! It's just that . . . oh my god, your face right now!" Eren exclaimed between guffaws.

"Keep impersonating a fish like that and someone'll think you're Aquaman," Levi teased.

"What is this? Pick on Jean day?" the flummoxed Super finally spit out.

"Hey, usually it's pick on Eren day . . . like, every day," Eren replied. "so, this is a nice change of pace. Only fair to spread the love."

Jean snorted. "Says the Suicidal Bastard. With friends like you, who needs enemies?" He then remembered what he'd learned about Eren's immortality when the young man's face fell. "Sorry, man. I wasn't thinking."

"Hey, no problem," Eren replied with a lopsided grin. "I still kinda like the nickname."

"Listen, Jean," Levi started. "As much as I hate to do this, I need to be 100% certain that you're not associated with Titan in any way."

"Should I be worried?" Jean asked nervously.

"Not unless you're working with Titan," Levi replied. "I need your permission to read your mind. Not just surface emotions, but actual thoughts and memories. Whatever I find will be strictly confidential unless it pertains to Titan. I have to warn you, however, if I find you are working with Titan, you'll wake up in sleezy motel room with no memory of anything that happened after headquarters caught fire."

Jean's expression remained stoic. "Okay. Do what you have to."

Levi closed his eyes and concentrated. "I'm sorry," he said softly as he made the connection to Jean's mind. What he found was a stereotypical college kid that had lived a normal childhood in spite of his powers. His family had no clue that the young man was a Super. The only dark spot in the young man's life was a messy divorce of his parents when he was eight. He had a genuine desire to protect people and to help, but no real idea how to effectively do so. Levi almost snorted a laugh when he discovered that Jean had a huge crush on Mikasa. At least Jean had spoken true when he'd said he'd never heard of Titan before literally dropping in on them less than 24 hours ago.

Levi severed the connection. "Good. I don't have to go through the trouble of finding a motel for you. Those places are always filthy. I'm sorry this was the only way I could trust you."

Jean shrugged. "I get it. From what you've told me about Titan, I don't think I'm too eager to just trust anyone. So, does this mean I'm in?"

"You're in," Levi confirmed. "I trust you. Again, I'm sorry."

"Why? I didn't feel a thing."

"Because it's the worst kind of invasion of a person's privacy. Reading surface emotions and detecting deception is one thing, but delving in to a person's most intimate thoughts and memories, bringing to light that which a person never wants to reveal is something tantamount to rape. Unless it's a matter of life and death, I won't do it without permission."

Jean and Eren both thought about that for a moment. "I guess you're right. Honestly, I'm glad I don't have that ability," Jean admitted.

"Telepathy is one of my trump cards, so neither one of you can tell anyone that I have that ability. Same goes for the magic shit," Levi told them.

Both young men nodded. "Right."

"Now. I'm gonna go bat-shit crazy if I stay cooped up in here with you two for much longer. We need to regroup with the others. I need both of you to stay with me and be silent. Titan found our headquarters; we can't have them find any of our backup locations."

Again, both nodded and gathered up their things. With Jean with them, Levi only had to carry one backpack now instead of two. He telepathically scanned the corridor outside their hidden room before killing the lights and leading them out. It was solid four hours of walking down endless subways, service tunnels, drainage tunnels and sewers to reach the 'office' where they would meet the rest of the Scouting Regiment. There were a few places where it was necessary to fly in order to cross open spillways and tunnel intersections. Eren needed to hitch a ride on Levi, but luckily, Jean could use his air powers to fly himself across such chasms.

Finally, Levi stopped before a blank space on a subway tunnel wall, placed his hand on a seemingly random spot and a door appeared and opened for him just like the one he and Eren had exited headquarters from. He took a hold of Eren's hand and instructed Jean to take the young man's other hand. He led them through the dark, speaking only once to warn them they were going down a long set of stairs. Eren and Jean had both lost all sense of time when they finally stopped. There was a faint glow on the wall from a scanner that scanned Levi's hand and another that scanned his retina. A keypad appeared that he rapid punched an insanely long code into and at long last, the dark was banished by blinding light as a door opened into a large room that was reminiscent of the common room back at the former headquarters.

This room had none of the old industrial charm of the former headquarters. This was all sleek and modern with no windows at all. Everything was white, grey, black or stainless steel. A quick look to his right told Levi that Hange, at least, was here. Their work area was already a federal disaster area of equipment and papers.

None of them got a chance to observe the room further as a blur slammed into them and wrapped all three in a crushing embrace. "I'm so glad you're okay! I was sooooo worried about you! Don't ever scare me like that again! You okay, Er-bear? Those Titans didn't hurt you, did they? Oh! I see we have somebody new! Hi! I'm – HMPH!"

"A colossal pain in the ass, Four Eyes," Levi finished after managing to free one hand to cover their mouth. "Nobody's hurt yet, but if you don't let go soon, we'll all pass out from asphyxiation."

They squeezed just a bit tighter. "But I like hugging you all! Especially since I missed you so much!"

Levi let out an exasperated sigh. "Yeah, yeah. I love you too, Hange, but I'd rather not have to put up with any broken ribs, so if you could just let go."

"Let them go, Codex," Erwin intervened. "Raven, you know we don't use our real names in front of strangers."

"Northwind isn't a stranger," Levi countered as the other Scouts gathered around. "Everyone, this is Jean Kirstein. I trust him."

Everyone except Eren and Jean looked at Levi with mouths agape in shock. Then they all looked at Jean. "Wow! What did you do to earn Raven Knight's trust so fast?" Ymir asked. "Seriously. It takes forever to earn his trust."

Levi snorted. "Don't give him too much credit. With way everything has been going to shit, and with how desperately we need allies, I didn't have time to get to know him. He let me scan his mind. That's how I know he's not associated with Titan in any way."

Erwin & Hange, who'd known Levi the longest, now looked absolutely flabbergasted. Eventually Erwin frowned. "Now I know things are worse than we'd first thought," he commented. "I know that mindreading is only something you do as a last resort, Levi." He moved to sit on one of the sofas. "Tell us what happened."

Everyone sat as Levi, Eren and Jean explained everything that had happened at the old headquarters. "What I'd really like to know is how the fuck those assholes found headquarters and how the fuck they were able to get in," Levi finished.

"Levi," Erwin began. "I truly hate to ask you this, but . . . damn it . . . I need you to read each and every one or our minds."

"No."

"Levi . . ."

"No."

"But . . . "

"No. I trust all of you."

"What if one of us was brainwashed and doesn't realize we're helping Titan?" Erwin reasoned. "What if they have mind readers of their own that don't have your moral standing?"

Levi scowled and looked away.

"You've already done it to Jean. Why not the rest of us?"

"That was different. I didn't know him, and I needed to be sure."

"It's no different. We don't know what Titan is fully capable of. We need to be sure that none of us has been compromised."

Levi still refused to look anyone in the eye.

"What if I'm the one that's compromised? I mean, I have been in their possession a couple of times. I'd kinda like to be sure myself," Eren stated.

"Me too," Armin agreed. "Mikasa and I were both held in Titan captivity. Mikasa's been physically compromised more that once. I'd like to have my mind scanned to be sure."

"I don't like it," Mikasa added. "but I'd like to be sure too. I'd feel better knowing."

"Me too," Sasha chimed in. "I don't recall dealing with Titan before joining the Scouts, but what if I was compromised and don't consciously remember?"

"Count me in. If you think you can sort through the mess in there that is," Hange dared.

"I don't wanna be left out!" Ymir said.

"I'm in!" Krista added.

"That makes all of us, Levi. You have permission from everyone here. You have no excuse not to," Erwin concluded.

Levi's scowl deepened. "I don't think any of you understand what a mind scan is. I will be able to see **_all _**of your thoughts and memories; good, bad and shameful; every joy, every sorrow, all grief, anger and fears; all of your desires; every mean thought; every regret; everything. Any and all secrets will be open to me. Grant you, I'd never tell anyone about what I found beyond whether or not you've been compromised, but still. It's a huge invasion of privacy. I will know literally everything. That's not only an invasion of your privacy, but also a large burden on me. It's a lot to know about someone and can be a burden on any friendship we may have."

"I wouldn't worry about our friendship, Levi," Ymir drawled. "I trust you."

"I trust you too, Levi," Erwin confirmed. "You can start with me."

Levi sighed in defeat. "Fine. But it doesn't mean I have to like it."

It was a very long 4 hours while he probed everyone's mind, resting between each one. He nearly laughed at a three-year-old Erwin running down the street buck naked with his horrified mother chasing him with a towel. He shed a couple of tears as a thirteen-year-old Hange was scolded by their father for not being "lady-like" and being too much of a nerd. By the time he'd scanned everyone except Mikasa and Eren, he was emotionally and mentally exhausted.

"I need both of you to be absolutely sure about this," Levi told them. "Because of Grisha Jaeger, you are both directly involved in this. Anything I find that may be relevant to this shit show, I'll have to reveal to the others."

Mikasa nodded. "Of course. If it will protect Eren, then I don't mind."

Levi reached into the stoic girl's mind. She had watched her parents both murdered before her eyes. She had seen them cut off Eren's head and then watched Eren stab them to death as his head grew back. Levi almost dropped the connection at that point. No wonder Mikasa suppressed the memory. He let out a choked sob and started trembling. When he finished, he collapsed to his knees. "She's clean," he croaked out, hurriedly rubbing tears from his eyes.

He became aware of someone rubbing his back comfortingly . . . make that two someones; Hange on his right and Eren to his left. "Are you going to be okay?" Erwin asked, concern written on his face.

"Yeah," Levi replied. "I just need a few minutes."

Krista handed him a glass of water, which he accepted gratefully. "Carla Jaeger knew she was going to die," he said at length. "She had Mikasa promise her to always have Eren's back. She took off the key and left it behind on purpose before she left the house."

"So why didn't Titan go after Eren back then?" Armin wondered.

"I don't know," Levi replied.

After another fifteen minutes, Levi heaved a weary sigh. "Well, everyone is clean. That leaves just you, Eren. You ready?"

"I'm ready," Eren answered. "But are you ready? You still seem pretty wiped out."

"I am, but the sooner we get this done and over with, the better."

* * *

Eren found himself in darkness. Oddly, he could see his hand when he held it up, as if he were standing in the sun. There was a soft grey mist drifting around his ankles. _This is like some weird scene out of a movie._ "Eren."

The young man practically jumped out of his skin and spun around to see Levi standing behind him. "Holy shit, Levi! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

Levi smirked at him. "Do you know where we are?"

"Hm. Let me see," Eren replied dryly. "Last thing I remember is sitting beside you waiting for you to read my mind. It's dark. I can still see you just fine in spite of no obvious source of light, and there's mist floating around our feet. This is so completely cliché that it can only be my unimaginative mind."

"Huh. Not bad. Not as clueless as I thought you were."

"Hey!" Eren scowled and folded his arms like a petulant child. "Did this happen with the others? I don't remember any of them passing out."

"No. It didn't. I need to be able to talk to you where no one else can hear. Mikasa's memories confirmed what your father wrote in his letter about the night you found her."

"Oh. No wonder you cried out when you read her. One thing I don't understand. If I lost my head, and by default my brain, how can I remember my life before that moment?"

"From what I can tell from what I've read in your mind so far, you transferred your consciousness out to the rest of your nervous system before . . . I don't know how you knew to do that, never mind knew that you even could, but that's what happened. May have something to do with your father's experiments, but I can't really tell for sure."

"Oh. So, you're reading my mind even while we're talking?"

"Yeah. Kinda weird, actually."

All of a sudden, Levi stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Eren. "Uh, Levi?"

"I'm sorry, Eren. You never deserved any of this shit," Levi told him. "You have to believe that."

Eren sniffled slightly, then broke down crying as he returned the embrace. When he finally pulled back from the embrace, tears still running silently down his face, he was back sitting on one of the sofas beside Levi. He noticed that Levi had been crying too. _He cried for me, _Eren thought. _No one's ever cried for me before._ He smiled wanly. "Thank you for that, Levi. I think I needed to hear that."

Levi just nodded in response as he dried his eyes. "He's clear," he finally announced. I don't know how Titan is tracking us, but it's not through one of us. Even if they were using a telepath to do so, it leaves a mark on the mind that I would have been able to detect."

Sasha raised her hand. "I mean no disrespect, but I'm just curious. If you never use this power, how do you know what it can do?"

Levi huffed out a faint laugh. "I didn't say I never used it. I just don't like using it. Once Kenny found out I had telepathic powers, he made sure I tested what I could do and practice so I could control it. Several of his people helped out with my training." There was another huffed laugh. His emotional and mental exhaustion had eliminated his ability to control his own emotions. "I learned a damn sight more about those bozos than any ten-year-old should ever know. Kenny, that asshole, thought it was funny. Looking back, I guess it was. But seriously, no ten-year-old should know what a blow job or double penetration is. And I will never eat a cucumber!"

Eren couldn't contain himself and broke up laughing, followed very closely by Ymir and Hange. Erwin just pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "Levi, I know you're exhausted. There are six bedrooms here. I suggest you choose one and get some sleep."

Levi was definitely tired, since he offered no argument. "Right. I'll see you all if I ever wake up." He dragged himself to the bedroom furthest down the hall beyond the kitchen. He almost fell asleep in the shower but managed to dry off and crawl into bed before falling sound asleep.


	26. Chapter 26

Hiding

Levi woke up feeling warm and comfortable. He eventually opened his eyes and found himself looking at the clock on the bedside table. His eyes widened. _Holy shit! Fourteen hours?! Mind reading must take more out of me than I thou- wait a sec . . . What's this weight over my side? _ He then realized his hand was resting on the hand of an arm that was draped over his side . . . _Not my arm_. He then realized that the warmth was from the furnace that was Eren Jaeger, who was spooned behind him and still sound asleep. _Holy mother of Sina! When did he come in here? And why is he in here? There are five other bedrooms he could have chosen! And why am I not pissed at him? Ugh! I'm getting fucking soft!_

He patted Eren's hand. "Up and at 'em, Jaeger. Time to stop pretending I'm a body pillow."

Eren groaned and hugged Levi tighter. "But y're so c'mf'table."

Levi's eyes widened. "Comfortable? I'm not entirely sure how I should take that."

"Mmmmm." Eren buried his face in Levi's hair.

"Articulate in the morning, aren't you?" Levi snarked. After a few moments of silence, he spoke again. "Care to tell me what you're doing in my room; in my bed?"

"Heard you yell last night," Eren replied, his voice muffled against Levi's head. "When I came in, looked like you were havin' a nightmare. Didn't wanna wake you, so I did the only thing I could."

_Well, I do sleep better with him beside me. Damned if I know why, though. _"It's been fourteen hours. We need to get up."

This seemed to at last get Eren's attention. "Whoa, really?" He looked at the clock. "Wow. I was more tired than I thought."

Now free from Eren, Levi got up and stretched. He paused in the bathroom doorway. "Eren?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

Eren was grinning from ear to ear.

* * *

Levi had barely poured is first cup of coffee for the morning when Erwin came and told him that they needed to talk in private. At this new facility, Erwin had a private office. He closed the door behind them and indicated for Levi to sit in one of the chairs in front of his desk. Erwin looked very tired as he sat down behind the desk.

"Not going up to the office today, I see," Levi commented. The new headquarters was directly below the Wellington Industries building where Erwin worked during the day. "You look like shit. You've got two black eyes."

Erwin sighed wearily. "This thing with Titan is far bigger and far worse than any of us originally imagined. What initially started off as a global mafia organization has turned out to be an unholy nightmare for all of humanity. We've gone through all of the papers and data that Grisha left. Titan is indeed looking to create a race of 'gods' out of humans. Stronger, faster, more aggressive and worst of all, completely immortal."

"Still no indication who's pulling the strings, huh." It was a statement rather than a question on Levi's part.

"Unfortunately, no," Erwin confirmed. "It gets worse. There's a price on Eren's head; five million, alive. Every villain out there is going to be gunning for him now. Worse still, since right before headquarters was compromised, nineteen Supers have been killed, including two just a couple of hours ago. The evidence points to them being specifically targeted and murdered by Titan."

Levi swallowed hard. "If Northwind hadn't literally fallen into our laps, he'd be one of them. Who's been lost?"

"They got Whiteout. Stretch ended up in Sina General after trying to help her. Sina General is now compromised. Titan got in and injected Stretch with a highly concentrated neurotoxin. He was reportedly dead within seconds. Aegis has simply disappeared. He may be working with Titan, hiding from Titan, or Titan killed him, and no one's found the body."

"How in the hell did they get Whiteout and injure Stretch? The three of them were a formidable team. I never really trusted her, but Whiteout was a skilled and well-trained fighter. She had impressive control of her powers"

"A security camera showed her suddenly freezing solid, then a masked Titan shattered her with a sledgehammer. Hange's theory is that Titan has someone that can manipulate the powers of others, because it was one of Whiteout's attacks that took down Stretch. They probably turned her own power against her." Erwin shuddered. "Something similar happened with Bombardier. His power to create explosions was turned against him and he literally blew apart from the inside out."

"Shit."

"I know. If Hange's theory is correct, then this is a new Super that no one has ever encountered until now. It's terrifying to think Titan has control of it."

Levi frowned. "Here's another theory. What if it's not a Super power, but a form of mind control? What if someone is controlling the Supers and having them kill themselves and others?"

"Equally terrifying, but from what we've seen on the few video recordings available, the Supers are not being controlled. The looks on their faces are too shocked and terrified to be mind control."

"How much goddamned shittier is this all going to get?" Levi demanded in frustration. "How are we supposed to fight against someone who can turn our own powers against us?"

"I don't know, Levi. I just don't know," Erwin replied honestly.

Levi's eyes widened. _He doesn't know? He's always got a plan of some kind! How can he come up dry now?_ He closed his eyes and took in a deep, calming breath. "There must be a way," he finally said calmly. "Titan wants us to believe it's impossible and give up. We can't play into their plans."

"I know, Levi. I don't intend to. But I don't intend to sacrifice lives needlessly in a futile battle either. I need time to think. But what I really asked you in here for was to tell you that I think it's time you started using your biggest trump card."

Levi raised a dubious eyebrow.

"We've never actually discussed it, but I've seen you use it on many occasions when your backed into a corner and desperate. You do things that seem impossible; things that defy logic and explanation. Your ability to use those rings to ignite nothing more than the air around you; that circle of light symbols you used to protect yourself from Bombastic; the way everyone falls silent when you're trying to reason with them or make an important point; using chants to make yourself unseen, though an enemy looks right at you; even your pressure bomb which remains localized instead of spreading out as physics would dictate; you do things that can only be described as magic. If I'm right about this, then it's possible that this is not a normal Super power, but something much deeper. It may be something this new Super of Titan's can't manipulate against you."

Levi took a few moments before he answered, choosing his words carefully. "You're not wrong. The Prophet told me that it's something linked to my soul, not my body like a Super power is. However, the reason I don't use it very often is . . ."

"Is why?" Erwin prompted.

"It's hard to explain. My soul knows how to use it, but I don't," Levi rolled his eyes. "That made no sense. It's hard to describe. Apparently, my soul is very old and lived a number of lifetimes. My soul remembers how to use 'magic', but my mind and my body in this life do not; I never learned. When backed into a corner, as you put it, I must be unconsciously drawing on my soul's memory in order to protect myself or to win a fight. It's not something I have control over. I'm sorry, but that's the best way I can explain it, and I don't think it's something you should rely on."

"The entire world is in danger because of Titan. As much as I hate to put such a burden on you, the fact is that you, Levi, may be the only person in the world capable of stopping them. There's too much at stake here, and we need to use every resource available." Erwin let that sink in a moment before He continued. "I'd like for you to go to the Prophet. Hopefully she will have some insight into your magic abilities that may help you. I also want you to take Eren with you."

Levi closed is eyes and sighed wearily. He looked down into his mug of now tepid coffee with distaste before drinking it all in one go. "Alright. I'll do it. But why should I carry Eren's sorry ass with me?"

"We need to get Eren off Titan's radar. Get him out of Mitras. Tinninvale is the only completely safe place in the world. It's the only place Titan can't get to. It's the only other source of magic I know of. Take Eren with you and keep him safe. Learn everything you can from the Prophet. I'll work together with the others to form a plan. I'll send for you when we have one."

Levi stood to go. "Alright. I'll go tell Eren and have him pack." He left Erwin's office and crossed over to Hange's increasingly messy work area. "It amazes me how quickly you can make any space look like a tornado hit it," he told them.

"Talent, Levi. Pure talent," they quipped. "So, what can I do you for?"

"I gotta get Eren out of Mitras for a while. I need you to map a way out of the city that is least likely to watched by Titan. We can't afford to be seen leaving," Levi told them.

"Which direction?"

"Doesn't matter. Just need to get out beyond the city limits."

Hange leaned over the table and lowered their voice. "Honestly, Levi, I think you need to just use your magic to shield the both of you. I don't think there's anywhere out of Titan's view. You should use the old Deep Earth subway tunnel that was never completed to get out of the city."

"Deep Earth?"

"Yeah. A little over 20 years ago they started to build a high-speed commuter train tunnel deep below the city's service and subway tunnels to connect Mitras and Marley, but they ran out of funds not even a quarter of the way through, so the project was dropped. Too bad, really. It would have cut down on air traffic and pollution."

"Huh. Okay." Levi then frowned.

Hange reached over and placed their hand over his where he leaned on the table. "I know you hate to use magic except as a last resort, but we're desperate right now. Eren's life is at stake. The entire world as we know it depends on Eren not falling into Titan's hands."

"I know," Levi conceded. "That's what Erwin said too. You're right, I don't want to use my best trump card yet, but if I don't, we may lose this war. Thing is, I'm not entirely sure how to use it. I'm just wingin' it here."

Hange giggled. "No pun intended?"

Levi snorted. "Just get me that map."

* * *

"We're running away and hiding?!" Eren demanded angrily.

"I'm not too fond of the idea either," Levi replied calmly. But Erwin's right. Tinninvale is the only place in this entire world that Titan can't get to you no matter what. It's shielded by magic, which is one thing Titan doesn't seem to be able to use."

"But-"

"No buts, kid. If Titan get's its filthy hands on you again, it's game over for everyone. Besides, we won't be just hiding. We'll both be training. I need to learn how to properly use and control these magic abilities and the more combat training you can get, the better. We get you off Titan's radar, you and I get training time, and the others can think up a plan of attack without worrying about you falling into Titan's hands."

"Is what Mikasa told me true? Is Titan actively hunting down and murdering Supers?"

Levi paused packing his backpack. "I'm afraid so. Nineteen as of last night. Not sure exactly why either. Something big is coming, though. Whoever is killing these Supers can turn their own powers against them."

"It's worse than we thought."

Levi turned to see Hange standing in the doorway. "Do you ever fucking knock, Four Eyes?"

"You know I don't," they replied. "That Super that can turn everyone's powers against them; there's more than one of them. I just finished compiling the reports from around the globe. Including the 19 in Mitras, a total of 1,782 Supers have been killed in the last 72 hours. Most by having their own powers turned against them and with masked Titans present."

Both Eren's and Levi's eyes widened. "That must mean . . ." Levi started. He wasn't sure it could be true. "They've started 'the purge'."

"The purge?" Eren questioned.

"That's right. You weren't able to finish that book of theirs. It's one of the later stages of returning humanity to its former glory. This is just a theory, mind you, but in order for the renewed humanity to remain pure, all those who are 'tainted' must be purged. Supers, with our unusual powers, must be viewed as tainted," Levi concluded.

"That may be," Hange said thoughtfully. "But that would beg the question as to why there are Supers working for Titan."

"Because they don't know they are the 'tainted'," Levi explained. "And Titan will used anything at its disposal, including the tainted in order to achieve their ultimate goal. Chances are that they already have something in place to eliminate the Supers that are working for them."

Eren shuddered. "Damn, this is scary. It's like some fucked up horror movie, only I can't just shut it off to escape it."

"I think we all feel that way, Eren," Hange agreed. "I'm not sure I want to see how this movie ends. If only we knew what fate held in store for us."

Levi suddenly froze, his eyes losing focus. "Fate . . ."

"Levi?" Eren and Hange both asked.

Levi came out of it. "Not sure. Something about fate triggered something in me. I'll think on it another time. Sooner we get out of Mitras, the better."

* * *

It took nearly two hours to get all the way down to the Deep Earth tunnel. To reduce the odds of being found by Titan, they travelled without lights. Levi used an incantation he'd discovered a few days before to allow them to see, though no light be found.

Once they reached Deep Earth, both were awed by how massive the tunnel was. It had been designed to have an upper level with two side by side tracks to allow passenger trains to move in both directions. The lower level was to have two tracks for freight trains. On both sides of the circular tunnel, by each level, were to be the service tunnels. However, they never got any further than drilling 20 miles of the necessary 110 miles, so Levi and Eren entered an empty, cavernous 120-foot diameter tunnel.

They had walked about a mile before Levi decided walking nearly 20 miles was ridiculous. He scanned the area to make sure no one was around. "Eren, stand with your hands straight up over your head, forearms crossed," he instructed.

Eren was confused by the order but did as he was told. He barely stopped himself from letting out a yelp as he was suddenly yanked off the ground, flipped through the air and landed solidly on Levi's back, his wrists securely held in the Super's hands. He found himself wishing he could have seen the spectacular flip and twist Levi had done to pick him up and flip them around so that Eren would be on his back.

Forty minutes later, the end of the tunnel was in sight. There had been no way to remove the TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) from the tunnel when construction stopped, so they'd been forced to leave it where it was when it was shut down for the last time. Levi landed at the back of the 873-foot long machine and led them inside. The machine, nicknamed Big Betty Boom, was the largest TBM in the world. **_Too bad she never got to finish her job_**, Levi told Eren telepathically.

**_Especially since they blew 178 million on her_**, Eren replied.

Levi shook his head in disbelief. _What a waste of taxpayer dollars._

At the cutting head, a door opened to the rock surface, where a small six-foot tunnel had been dug up to the surface. They eventually stepped out into a forest in the middle of nowhere about an hour and half after sunset. Levi once again took flight. This time Eren knew what to expect, so was able to appreciate the way the Super flew in from behind him, grabbed his hands, twisted mid-air and flipped Eren onto his back as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

Levi flew close to the ground. They both wore all black clothes, nothing shiny. Levi added a spell to keep them hidden from satellite view and infrared imaging (and hoped that it worked). Their flight lasted for several hours, Levi keeping low to the ground, weaving through forests, skimming across water and fields. Two hours before sunrise, they approached a deep, narrow valley between mountains. They followed the fast-moving river along the bottom. Eren gasped when they passed through the magic barrier. He gasped again when he saw the previously hidden Tinninvale sanctuary ahead.

"I was the same way the first time I saw it," Levi told him. "This is Tinninvale, sanctuary of The Prophet."

Eren's eyes widened impossibly more. "The Prophet lives here?!"

Levi devious smirk was hidden from Eren. "You're in for a lot of shocking revelations today." He flew up the steep side of the valley and landed on the expansive veranda overlooking the entire vale.

Eren looked around in awe, his eyes still wide and his mouth hanging open. "Whooooah," he breathed.

"And this is just the outside."

Eren turned to see Levi holding open one of the elaborately carved French doors. "Um, are you sure we should just walk in like this? Shouldn't we at least knock or something? Is there a doorbell?"

"Just get your ass in here." Levi actually sounded amused. Looked amused too.

Levi strode confidently into the large entry room, stretched his wings, removed his backpack and set it on the floor near the stairs. "Mom? I know your up and I know you're expecting me!"

"Of course, I was expecting you." Kuchel entered from a set of French doors to the left of the entrance. "What kind of prophet would I be if I didn't?"

Eren stood, slack jawed, as the small woman, about Levi's height with long, straight black hair and dark blue eyes approached them. "Y-you're the Prophet?"

"Yes, Eren. I am."

The stunned student was a little slow connecting the dots. "You know my name?"

Kuchel giggled. "Of course, I do."

Suddenly Eren looked back and forth between Kuchel and Levi. "Wait . . . did you call her 'Mom'?"

A definite amused smirk spread across Levi's face as he looked to his mother. "Real genius, this one."

"Be nice, Levi. Eren's been through a lot tonight, and the night is not over yet."

Eren sat down, suddenly feeling totally overwhelmed. "The Prophet is Levi's mother . . . I thought your mother was dead."

"That is what the world believes; for her safety as well as mine," Levi explained.

"Eren?" Another woman entered the room.

Eren looked over at her and jumped up from the chair. "M-m-mom?!" He then fainted dead away, collapsing into an undignified heap on the floor.

Levi just deadpanned at the now prostrate young man. "I'd say he took that well."


	27. Chapter 27

REUNIONS & REVELATIONS

Carla ran over and gathered her shocked son up in her arms. "Why don't we move him to the sofa in the sitting room," Kuchel suggested.

Levi went over and picked the young man up, tossing him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He carried Eren into the room where he and his mother had held their reunion talk years ago. He plopped the hapless student down on the sofa. "Wake up, idiot. Your mother wants to talk to you." For his own part, Levi never even considered that the Carla that worked for his mother would be the same Carla that was Eren's mother, so he was just as shocked. "I know you have questions for her. I know I sure as hell do."

Eren groaned when Levi flicked him on the forehead. "Owwwwww. What happened?"

"You fainted, genius," Levi snarked.

Eren opened his eyes, then widened them when he saw his mother seated on the edge of the sofa where he lay.

"Don't you dare faint again," Levi warned.

"I don't . . . understand. Mom? How are you here? How are you alive?" Eren was having trouble wrapping his head around what he was seeing.

Carla gently stroked the side of her son's face with the back of her fingers as she smiled sweetly, yet sadly down at him. "I never died. I needed Titan to believe that I was dead. I had to draw them away from you. Your father was . . . he stumbled onto something big; something dangerous. He had warned me to keep you away from Titan at all costs, so I staged my own death. I had a false key made and took it with me that night."

"Your father and I had helped Kuchel when she came to us 23 years ago. Titan had torn the wings from her back in a fight to protect herself and her son, Levi. In return, when Grisha realized he was in trouble, Kuchel's people helped him to make the rest of us disappear from the records. When Grisah left, Hannes and I eliminated the remaining records; school, housing, utilities. We then moved to Mitras. But Titan found us anyway; or rather, found me. I had to let them believe I was dead. I even went so far as to have a false key made."

"I knew Titan would follow me that night. I knew they'd come after me. Kuchel had warned me. When they came after me, I ran out into traffic where Petra and Oluo 'ran me over' and kept going. Nifa and Ness were the 'paramedics' that responded to the scene. Everyone helped to falsify the records of my 'death' and made sure Titan got their hands on the fake key. I've been here ever since."

"I'm so sorry about all of this, Eren. I didn't want to do that to you and Mikasa. And even after all of that, Titan still found you." Carla had angry tears running down her face. "They've destroyed everything we had, but that's not enough for them. Those sick people want to destroy everyone and everything in the world!"

Eren suddenly threw his arms around his mother and buried his face on her shoulder. "I'm so glad you're alive!" he sobbed, voice muffled by Carla's shoulder.

Carla hugged him back, happy tears of her own flowing freely.

Levi and his mother left the two to their reunion and to allow Eren to fill his mother in on what had been happening. Kuchel led her son to the kitchen where she proceeded to brew them a pot of tea. "Much has happened since we last spoke."

"More than even you can imagine," Levi confirmed as he sat down at a small table and watched his mother work. "Carla's not gonna be happy when Eren tells her what his father did to him."

Kuchel glanced at him over her shoulder. "Oh?"

Levi proceeded to fill his mother in on everything that had happened over the past months and what they'd learned about Titan. "We needed to bring Eren somewhere out of Titan's reach while Erwin figures out what to do. More importantly, I need to learn how to fully control and use my magic. Erwin thinks it may be the key to defeating Titan."

"It is one of the keys," Kuchel confirmed. "Petra," she addressed the young woman just entering the kitchen. "Do me a favor and get Ilse for me, please?"

Petra bowed slightly. "Of course," she said before turning and leaving the room.

Kuchel sighed. "I'll never be able to break her of that habit."

Levi chuckled slightly. "At least she's not trying to always impersonate you like Oluo does with me. And he does a lousy impersonation, for the record."

"It's the highest form of compliment," Kuchel teased.

"Tch! It's annoying is what it is."

"You wanted to see me, Kuchel?" A woman of average height, long, wavy black hair and dark brown eyes came into the room.

"Yes, Ilse. Please, sit. I'll pour you some tea," Kuchel said. As she fixed a cup of tea for Ilse, she spoke to Levi. "About a week ago, I started foreseeing a Super going around killing other Supers by turning their own powers against them. I had Ilse look into finding a Super with this kind of power. Ilse, could you tell Levi what you found?"

"Of course. It turns out that around forty years ago there was a Super hero by the name of Turncoat. Her power was the ability to control the powers of other Supers. Villains were terrified of her because she could not only use their powers to turn them against each other but could also destroy them using their own powers. She disappeared about 25 years ago. She would be about 65 years old if she were still alive today."

Ilse pulled a phone out of her pocket, fiddled with the screen for a moment then handed it to Levi. "That is a photo taken of Turncoat 38 years ago. Move to the next photo." Levi swiped the screen and looked at a picture of the same woman. "That image was captured by a security camera three nights ago. Next image." Levi frowned as he saw a third picture of the same woman. "That image was captured fifteen minutes later, on another continent. Next image." Levi frown deepened at a third picture of the same woman. "That was taken an hour before the first one in Trost."

"Clones?" Levi questioned. "They're all too young to be Turncoat, but in too many places at once to be the same individual. Unless Turncoat had identical triplets."

"Clones," Ilse confirmed. "Take a really close look at the first image from three nights ago."

Levi almost immediately noticed a strange dot below and behind the left ear in the black and white security image. "What is that?"

"I can't be sure," Ilse replied. "but I suspect it's either a tracking device or, considering this is Titan we're talking about, some kind of control device or transmitter."

"So, these attackers are clones created by and controlled by Titan to kill Supers?" Levi thought for a moment. "If this really is the purge talked about in their book, then those may be kill switches. If I understand what I read correctly, all Supers would be considered impure and have to be eliminated in order for humanity to return to its 'former glory'."

"Once the Supers are out of the way, and there's no one left to stand against them, they could begin eliminating anyone who has any kind of imperfection or deformity," Ilse added, her voice quiet in horror.

"There is hope," Kuchel said. "Levi, your powers are not really Super powers. As my son, they are a natural part of your biology. T'varians are naturally stronger, faster and have keener senses than humans. Your ability to fly is also a natural part of T'varian DNA. Even your telepathy is a recessive gene present if not active in all T'varians. These clones would have no power over you."

"They could use the power of my comrades against me," Levi pointed out.

"That is where magic comes in," his mother told him.

"How? Magic is little more than energy manipulation, which these clones can use."

"No, Levi. It is not the same. Magic is, to some extent, energy manipulation, but it is on a level that defies the laws of physics and nature. That is why it is called magic. It defies any and all ability to explain it. Unlike Super powers, which are linked to a person's genes, magic is linked to a person's soul," Kuchel explained.

"You once said you don't use magic. How then, did you shield Tinninvale?" Levi asked.

Kuchel smiled. "You grandparents. It was my mother and father's final act. They too, could use magic. They used every last bit of their combined strength creating, or rather upgrading Tinninvale's barrier to protect it from modern technology. As for who originally created this lodge and the magic barrier that shields it, we may never know."

Levi sighed wearily. "How am I supposed to learn to use this power if there's no one that can teach me?"

"You already know how," his mother told him. "You need only clear your mind and listen to your soul."

He drank the rest of his tea and stood. "That doesn't help."

His mother chuckled at him. "You need to take some time to relax and meditate on it." She too stood but turned to Ilse. "Thank you, Ilse, for everything. Just leave the dishes by the sink. I'll take care of them later."

"You're welcome Kuchel. And I don't mind washing them."

As Levi and Kuchel crossed the entry hall, Carla came out of the sitting room, spotted them and immediately came over and wrapped Levi in a strong embrace, much to his surprise. "Thank you, Levi. Thank you for protecting Eren."

A baffled Levi looked across the room over Carla's shoulder at a puffy eyed Eren, who just shrugged. Levi gently patted her back in return, not entirely sure how he should respond. "Um. You're welcome."

"It's been a very long day and night for you two. The sun is already up. You both need sleep. We'll talk more tomorrow." Kuchel gave her son a hug and kissed his forehead as they parted. "Sleep well."

After Eren had hugged his own mother, Ilse took them both to the large, round bedroom overlooking one of the many falls and the forest both in a long panorama of windows. It was the same room Levi always stayed in when he visited.

"Please sleep well, both of you," Ilse told them as she left.

"Wait a second," Levi called out to her. "what room is . . . Eren . . . damn it. She's gone."

Eren didn't hear Levi, and never thought to question why they were put in the same room together. Levi set his pack down on a chair. _Fine. I'm too tired to give a fuck right now anyways. At least I sleep better with him beside me, but still. _

The first door Eren tried was a closet, which already had some clothes in it that Levi left there for his visits. The next door was another closet; this one empty. Third time's the charm, right? Wrong. Third door led out into a bright little sunroom with a tea table and three chairs. Eren didn't even bother with the French doors out onto the private balcony. The final door, at long last was the bathroom.

Levi rolled his eyes as he heard Eren's exclamation of, "Oh my god, I feel so much better!" as the younger relieved himself.

"Yeah. I'll sleep better tonight knowing that." Levi mumbled, his voice was dripping with sarcasm. He changed into a pair of sleep pants and a t-shirt. By the time he'd relieved himself and brushed his teeth, Eren was already sound asleep in the bed. "Sleep tight, kid. You're gonna need it."

* * *

It was late afternoon when Levi woke up. He wasn't sure how long he lay there staring at Eren's sleeping face. His brown hair was even messier than usual. His long lashes rested against his cheekbones. He breathed softly through his slightly open mouth. Levi couldn't figure out what he found so fascinating about the younger man. _Why do I care about him so damn much? Why am I not bothered by him sleeping beside me and drooling on the pillow? Why don't I feel like beating the shit out of him when he cuddles me in his sleep? Why in the hell do I sleep better when he's snoring like a bloody bull moose in rut right next to me?_

He eventually rose, dressed and slipped out of the room, careful not to awaken Eren. He went down the ornately carved stairs to the entry room. His intent was to find his mother, but as he reached the bottom of the stairs, he saw her out on the massive front veranda watering the abundant plants that decorated it. He had once compared it to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

"Mother," he said testily.

"Yes, dear?" Kuchel replied innocently while she continued watering plants. She knew what this was going to be about.

"Mother, there are twenty freakin' bedrooms in this place; less than half of which are in use. So why, pray tell, did you think it was necessary to put Eren in my room?"

"Because you refuse the see that which is right in front of you," Kuchel answered.

"What does that have to do with Eren being in my room?" Levi asked incredulously.

Kuchel finally turned from her watering to look at her son. "All these months alongside Eren, and you still don't get it. You still try to deny the inevitable and push him away."

Levi frowned. "It's for his own good, Mother."

"Is it?" she countered. "Or is it for your own good? Is it really because you're afraid of losing him?"

"People who associate with me have a bad habit of dying; Izzy and Farlan, Dad, Mike, Nanaba, Gunther and Eld, even you almost."

"It would seem that not acknowledging Mike and Nanaba as friends did nothing to lessen the pain of losing them," Kuchel pointed out. "You always told me they weren't friends; that you only trusted them. But, when they died, your heart broke anyway. Denying your feelings doesn't make them go away. It just leaves you with regrets."

Levi's frown faded. Though his expression remained neutral, there was no mistaking the sadness in his eyes. "But Eren is different. I don't know how or why. I keep wondering what makes him so goddamned important to me. Why do I feel so drawn to him? Why is it so easy to let him in close? Why don't I feel like punching him when he gets in my personal space? Why does it rip my heart to shreds when I hurt him, even if it's for his own good? Why does it hurt so much to see him cry? Why is it so hard to push him away?"

"Is it really so hard to understand?" Kuchel asked him.

"Yes, it is," Levi replied, sounding almost desperate. "No one should be able to get under my skin the way he does! He's just some random, normal kid that found himself in a shit-ton of trouble through no fault of his own. It's not like there's anything really special about him."

"But there is something very special about Eren Jaeger," Kuchel argued. "He's your soul mate."

Levi looked at his mother as if she had five heads. "What?!"

"You wonder what makes him so special. It's the fact that he's your soul mate. You're not complete without him."

"That's . . . that's ridiculous."

She chuckled. "Why? The first time you came up here I told you that you're an old soul. You've lived many lives before this one. Each of those lives have been with Eren in one capacity or another. Sometimes friends, sometimes lovers, sometimes siblings, cousins or parent and child; but in each life you are together. This is why you are drawn to him. Even if you've never met before, your souls recognize each other and are drawn together. Your fates are intertwined."

"Fate . . ." Levi had the same strange reaction to that word. "I feel like that's important, but damned if I can figure out why. Fate . . . fates . . ." Levi's eyes widened. "The Fates! I know them!"

Kuchel cocked her head to one side. "You mean the three Fates from Greek mythology?"

"Yes! No. Sort of," Levi stammered. "They exist, but not like in mythology. It's hard to explain. Must be one of those soul memories you've been talking about. I have to go talk to them."

"Go talk to them?" Kuchel echoed.

Levi held his right hand out in front of him, palm out and fingers spread. "Yes." He concentrated for a moment before a portal opened before him. "I'll be back shortly, Mom." He stepped though and the portal closed behind him.


	28. Chapter 28

Fates

Levi stepped through the portal he'd created and looked around at a place that was so foreign and yet so familiar at the same time. He was in a large garden with intricately woven threads throughout like a colorful spider's web. Ahead, he saw three women; a teenager, a middle-aged mother and an old grandmother, standing over a large, old, open leather-bound book that rested on a podium that was a living, spineless thistle. Their nimble fingers wove threads precisely together at a blinding pace while not even watching their hands.

"Well, this is totally trippy," he said dryly. "But I suppose I say that every time I come to visit you."

All three women giggled, but the youngest was the one who spoke. "Only when you visit us for a first time in an incarnation. Last time you told us that it was 'like having déjà vu on steroids,'."

"Yeah. Sounds like something I'd say," Levi commented as he made his way over to a very familiar rock near the Fates' podium. "I've never been here before, but I remember this rock that I usually sit on. And that one over there where Eren usually . . . sits." He paused for a moment as he mulled over what he'd just said as he gazed at the stone that he'd just dubbed Eren's. He then looked back to the Fates. "Everything Mom just told me is true, isn't it? Eren really is my soulmate."

"He is," the old woman confirmed. "The bond between your souls is exceptionally strong."

"You encounter each other in one way or another in every life you two live," the middle woman continued. "Whether it be just as friends, as family or as lovers."

Levi frowned. "So that what's so special about him; why I feel drawn to him; why I can't push him away."

"Why you love him so," the maiden added.

Levi looked up at her quick, ready to scoff at the idea, but he hesitated. _Do I love him? I've never been in love. Nanaba always used to tell me I wouldn't know love if it came up and bit me on the ass. She was right. Mom's right too. In spite of my best efforts not to, I think I'm actually in love with that incorrigible brat! _

"Without him, you cannot hope to bring down the evil that threatens your world," the mother stated.

"Yeah. About that," Levi began. "Mom tells me I can use magic because it's a part of my soul and that my soul knows how to use it."

"That is correct," the Fates replied.

"Okay, but I need to know how to tap into that and use it if I'm to protect Eren and take down Titan."

"You forget what I just told you," the mother chided. "You will need Eren to fight **_alongside_** you to succeed. You cannot do this alone."

"You must have faith, not only in your own strength, but also in the strength and wisdom of your companions," the old woman continued.

"As in past lives, you need only trust your heart and your soul to use the magic within you," the maiden told him. "You will always know what you need to do when you need to do it."

Levi nodded in acknowledgement and then took a few moments to contemplate how he wanted to word his next question. "I . . . we need to be able to cut off Titan's head. Thing is, we don't know where the head is, or even if there's only one."

"There are many, but only one that is the weakness," the old woman stated. "Destroy him, and the rest will disintegrate to ash."

"And who is this man?" Levi asked.

"We cannot tell you," the mother replied sadly.

"We can, however, tell you this," the maiden continued. "The one you seek is closer than you think."

"The heads of Titan are many and possess great wealth and power," the old woman said.

"However, the heads of Titan are supported by him," the mother said. "He pulls the strings from the background. Without him, all of their wealth and power are for naught. It will evaporate as mist in morning sun."

Levi's brow wrinkled as he frowned in thought. "Wouldn't that wreak havoc on the world's economy? Granted, if Titan succeeds in their goals, the economy won't be worth two shits anyway. What is Titan's goal? What do they hope to achieve by altering humanity's genes?"

"It was the dream of a madman," the maiden replied.

"Yeah. Alexander Harrington. But that was a hundred years ago. How did such crazy bullshit get this far? And what about this so-called goddess? Maria Rosina?"

"So many questions, Levi," the old woman chuckled. "It was no goddess. It was a great evil that deceived Alexander Harrington."

"You faced one like her 500 years ago," the mother took up the tale. "But you will not face this one in this lifetime."

"So, I'm going to face this one in a future incarnation? Can I even defeat such a thing?"

"In 2,000 years, Titan will rise again, and you and Eren will be the ones to end it once and for all," the maiden told him.

"But you must pay a heavy price for the power to defeat that evil," the mother warned.

"Not sure I like the sound of that. What will I have to do?"

"Forfeit your mortality," the old woman said.

For one horrible moment, time stood still for Levi. Everything was blank. He had no idea what to think or what to feel. "My . . . mortality?" he finally stammered, almost a whisper. "I don't want to live forever." He felt cold and numb. "Now I know how Eren felt when he found out his father made him immortal. At least he has a way out of it." He closed his eyes and took in a long, deep breath that he exhaled slowly. When he opened his eyes again, he said, "But if that is the price I must pay to protect this world, then so be it. I'll worry about that when the time comes. For now, I need to focus on bringing down Titan, or there won't be a future to matter. They're just too damn hard to find. How can they gain so many followers without having an obvious leader to draw them in?"

"It is deadly hunter that observes from the shadows and the dark, then lures in those who are most susceptible to its message and false promises," the mother replied.

"It knows how to prey upon the weaknesses and desires of humanity; greed, fame, power, belonging, happiness," the old woman informed. "And those that cannot be swayed, it takes by force."

"Unlike you, many people are easily lured in by the promise of immortality," the maiden further explained. "It is only natural for living things to fear death, for if death were not feared, then life would have no reason to continue."

"Okay, so how do I find this weakness of Titan's?" Levi came right out and asked.

"Look up," the maiden replied.

Levi automatically looked up, though knowing that the Fate likely didn't mean it literally. "Fine. I get it. You can't tell me anything that might unravel the fabric of fate. But maybe you can tell me this; why me? What makes me so damn special?"

"Because you are a warrior of God," the old woman stated.

"Warrior of God?"

"Your soul is not like others. Most souls are species specific and linked to only one world. You and your soulmate, however, are not. Your souls were created specifically to protect. You are among those few that incarnate on whatever world where you are needed the most," the maiden clarified.

"Sometimes it is just to help one person; sometimes an entire world," the mother added. "You can incarnate as any species necessary for you to fulfill your mission."

Levi's brow furrowed deeper than it already was. "How can I be a warrior of God? I'm a monster; a demon."

There was an amused light in the old woman's eyes. "As you yourself once said, 'Not all demons are created equal'."

"It often takes a monster do defeat a monster," the mother added.

"There is a very big difference between being a monster and being evil," the maiden elucidated.

Levi thought about that for a moment. He then stood and stretched. "I should get back to Tinninvale. I may have left my mother in a great deal of confusion. Thank you for everything. I understand things a little better. More importantly, you've given me hope, and I think that's what I needed most right now."

"You are very welcome, Levi," the mother told him.

Levi turned and opened a portal. Before he stepped through, he turned to look back at the Fates. "Do I ever come here just to visit? You know, when I don't need anything."

The Fates looked at each other and smiled. "You do," the old woman said.

"Quite frequently," added the mother.

"You are always welcome," the maiden finished. "And please give Eren our regards."

"And remember," the old woman added. "The only limitation you have is your own imagination."

Levi gave them a faint smile. "Thanks." He then stepped through the portal.


	29. Chapter 29

Giving in to the Truth

Eren let out a less than manly shriek as he fell on his ass on the veranda.

"You scream like a girl," Levi commented as he stepped out of the portal.

"Wh-what the fuck?!" Eren sputtered, followed quickly by, "That was freakin' awesome! How'd you do that?"

"No clue," Levi replied. "I just did it."

"So, what was that?"

"A portal. I needed to talk with some old friends, and that's the only way to get there."

"Where did you go?" Kuchel asked.

"To speak with the Fates."

Eren's mouth fell open. "The Fates are real?"

"Very. They send you their regards," Levi relayed.

Carla, who'd come out the moment she'd heard her son's shriek, sat down in shock. "The Fates send **_my_** son their regards?"

"Yeah. Eren and I frequently visit them, apparently. He even has his own rock that he always sits on," Levi explained.

"I don't remember ever visiting the Fates," Eren said in confusion.

"Past lives, Eren. Though this is the first time I've visited them in this life."

"Then how did you know of them?" Carla asked.

"His soul remembers," Kuchel replied. "That's how he knew to go to them and how to get there. What did they have to say, dear?"

"A lot of riddles, really," Levi replied. "But I still have a few helpful hints and more importantly, I have hope. I didn't even realize I'd lost hope of defeating Titan. I did learn that Titan has many heads; many leaders, but only one weakness that will take the entire organization down. Whoever this weakness is, I know it's a man, he's closer than we think . . . and look up."

"Look up?" Eren parroted. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Levi shrugged. "Guess we'll just have to find out."

* * *

The next few days were spent training and showing Eren around Tinninvale. Levi was frustrated with himself for not being able to focus as much as he wanted to. He found his thoughts borderline obsessed with Eren, mulling over what he'd learned and trying to figure out what he felt and what, if anything, he should do about it. It was even worse at night with the subject of his thoughts laying right beside him. Worse still, Eren noticed Levi's unusual behavior, asking the man if he was alright. Levi was grateful that Eren accepted his response of, "I'm fine. Just got a lot on my mind," and didn't press the matter any further.

Kuchel also noticed, but she was the quintessential meddling mom and wasn't going to let things go. She brought him to the small sitting room in her private apartments that overlooked another one of Tinninvale's many waterfalls. "You seem very distracted, Levi," she began as she served iced tea and finger sandwiches. "What's on your mind?"

Levi sighed, borderline exasperated, but knowing his mother wouldn't let it go and grudgingly accepting that maybe it would do him good to talk it out, he began to explain himself. "Honestly, Mom, I'm not sure. It's all a mess in there. Eren's pretty distracting as it is, but ever since the Fates confirmed what you told me about his being my soul mate . . ." He let out an aggravated huff, got up and began pacing the small room. "Nanaba used to tell me that I wouldn't know love if it came up and bit me on the ass. I always told her that I didn't care. I didn't want love. I didn't want to take the risk. Still don't, if I'm honest with myself. Thing is, I have zero experience with love of any kind. I mean, I love you, of course. But that's the love of a child for a parent. I mean, is what I'm feeling towards him really love? It's not like I'm sexually frustrated or anything, so I know it's not that." Levi stopped his pacing and turned to face his mother, indicating himself with his hands. "Look at me. That green eyed brat has somehow turned me into a rambling idiot!"

His mother smiled understandingly at him. "Sit down, Levi. You'll wear a hole in floor with all that pacing. You've ignored your feelings for him for too long."

"Too long? Mom, I've only known him for a few months!"

"And you've loved him for just as long."

For a few moments, Levi just looked at his mother blankly. "Number one, how do you always know this shit, and, number two, how does one even know they're in love?"

Kuchel chuckled. "I'm the Prophet, remember. I do keep an eye you. You are my son, after all. As for your other question, let me ask you a few things. Do you trust him?"

"Yes." Levi surprised himself with how quickly he answered.

"Do you find him easy to talk to but also easy to just be with in silence?"

"Yes."

"Do you feel more at ease with him by your side?"

"Yes."

"Can you imagine living life without him?"

Levi's eyes widened and he swallowed visibly. "No."

"You are very much in love with him."

He drank down some of his tea to alleviate the sudden dryness in his throat. "Now what?"

Kuchel laughed. "That, my son, is entirely up to you."

* * *

When his thoughts were a jumble and he needed to clear his mind, Levi would often retreat to a hidden natural pool in the forest to bathe. Such was the case this night. The pool had a small waterfall that spilled into it at one end, and a stream that trickled out to another waterfall on the other side. It was almost magical, like a scene from a fantasy movie. No matter what time of year it was, it was always early summer around the pool. A large willow, that seemed so out of place in a mountain forest, hung over the water near the inflowing waterfall. The water was so crystal clear that one could easily see the grains of sand at the bottom. Ferns, mossy stones and stands of cattails surrounded the pool.

Tonight, the full moon was reflected in the cool waters. Levi stripped down and set his clothes and a towel on a large stone near the edge of the water. He set up his ipod in its docking station and selected one of his more eclectic playlists for relaxing. He stretched out his wings and his body and then stepped into the cool, refreshing water. He spent a long time just floating on his back in the middle of the pool, gazing up at the moon, listening to the frogs and the crickets and the soft breeze that whispered through the pines and the willow.

Suddenly, an idea came to him and he returned to the shore. He felt as if he was following some long, distant memory as he switched his playlist to something much more exotic; some music that his mother had given him. He then stepped to the edge of the water, but instead of going in, he stepped out **_onto_** it. Not sure how, or even why, he continued out to the middle of the pool. He looked around his feet at the water, fascinated by this new ability. It felt so strange, and yet so natural to be walking around on the water's surface.

He closed his eyes and cleared his mind, letting the rhythm of the music flow around and through him. He began to move, slow and sensual along with the thrum of the music. It was an ancient dance that he knew from a distant past life, yet he moved as if he'd been dancing it this entire life. He let his inhibitions go and allowed himself to move as his soul dictated.

The full moon shown on the ripples on the water's surface created by Levi's feet and wingtips as he danced. His lithe body was on full display in the moon's light. White skin stood in stark contrast to the black hair, feathers and tattoos. His sharply defined muscles shifted sensually under his skin and the tiny droplets of water sparkled as he moved.

It was at this moment that Eren approached the pool, having been told by Levi's meddling mother that if he was restless, he should go to the meditation pool to bathe. Eren stood transfixed under the trees at the edge of the pool's clearing as if under a spell. He was in awe of the magnificent body on display before him. Eren stared as if mesmerized. _Goddamn. His body is even more beautiful than I imagined! And I never would have guessed he could dance like that! I should leave before he sees me. Yeah. That's what I should do. Leave. Now. _Eren didn't leave. He stood, rooted to his spot, watching the erotic dance on the water.

Eren took in every detail he could; the well defined muscles beneath alabaster skin; the droplets of water that still clung to his body and dripped from his jet black hair; the perfect curve of his ass below two perfect dimples; the thin trail of hair leading from his navel to a nest of jet black hair at the base of a semi erect phallus.

Then Levi caught sight of him. For a split second, Eren was certain he was about to die, but nearly collapsed a second later when instead, Levi, still looking him square in the eyes, continued dancing. The music that filled the clearing was building in intensity as Levi continued as if performing specifically for Eren, occasionally casting a look at him that the younger could only describe as sultry.

The dance eventually ended, with Levi down on one knee, his spread fingertips on the water's surface and his wings spread above him as he locked heated gazes with Eren. He smirked slightly as he stood and approached Eren across the water. The younger had stepped out onto the grass at the edge of the pool, too amazed by seeing Levi naked to even consider that the man was walking on top of water.

Levi stopped right in front of Eren, placed a hand on the younger's chest and gazed into his cyan-green eyes. "I'm not sure when, or even how," he said finally said softly, feeling as if he was listening to himself from outside his body with no control over what was being said. "But I've fallen in love with you."

Eren placed his hand over Levi's. He didn't know what to say in response. All he knew was that those words made his heart soar.

"I've told you before," Levi was trembling ever so slightly as he continued. "that I suck at expressing myself. I've spent so long suppressing my feelings, that I don't know how to deal with them anymore. I'll be honest with you; I'm scared. I've lost so many of the people I truly care about that I'm afraid to care about anyone. What scares me the most is that I can't stop myself from loving you, no matter how hard I try."

Eren's eyes filled with unshed tears as he reached up his free hand to cup the side of Levi's face. Levi closed his eyes and leaned into the touch, placing his own free hand over Eren's. The true gravity of Levi's confession was not lost on him. There he stood, at his most vulnerable, naked before a clothed Eren, baring his heart and his soul and offering himself to the younger. "I love you too, Levi. More than I ever thought possible. I'll admit, at first it was just a crush based on hero worship, and then I just thought you were a complete dick. But the more time I spent with you and got to know you, the more I started falling in love with you. I tried not to. I know you can sense emotions, and I just always assumed you'd never feel the same about me and I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. I just couldn't help myself, though."

Levi rested his forehead against Eren's chest. "How can someone like you love a monster like me? You're so kind and selfless and pure. I'm just an asshole."

"That's not true," Eren countered as he wrapped his arms around the older man and began carding his fingers through the raven locks on the back of his head. "You're the kindest, most selfless, most compassionate person I know. Regardless of how you try to portray yourself, it's obvious that you care. You wouldn't be a Superhero if you didn't."

Levi let out a sigh and wrapped his arms around Eren's waist. "You're my soul mate, Eren. The Fates confirmed it. There's no point in my trying to ignore and deny my feelings about you. I don't know how much time we may have together, but I don't want to regret wasting the time we have trying to push you away."

Eren pulled back and again placed his hand on the side of Levi's face. He stared into the Super's silver eyes for several moments, debating his next move. He finally drummed up the courage to lean in and press his lips against Levi's. The kiss was chaste but filled with love. Levi place his hand at the back of Eren's neck and drew him in for another. He opened his mouth slightly and Eren took the invitation, his tongue delving in to dance with the other's.

Hands began to roam, exploring each other's bodies, Eren's still clothed. Eren sought to memorize the feel of Levi's body; the feathers on his back between his wings; the joint at the underside of the wings where they met his shoulders; the surprising smoothness of his skin; the firmness of each clearly defined muscle; the mouth-watering curvature of his round, supple ass. Levi let out an involuntary moan when Eren's hand ran over his ass and groped one cheek firmly. The sound when straight to Eren's already fully hard erection.

He stepped back to look at Levi. The smaller man's wings were half open, his pupils were fully dilated with lust so that only the barest ring of silver remained, his face and neck were dusted pink with arousal, and his phallus was now fully erect and standing proud above a pair of firm round balls. _Gods, but he's beautiful in the moonlight!_

Levi's face became even pinker as he looked away from Eren's intense gaze. "Thank you," he muttered.

Eren then realized he'd spoken his thoughts aloud. "It's true," he confirmed. "Will you . . ." He swallowed hard. "Will you let me make love to you?"

Levi smiled faintly as he drew Eren in for another kiss. "Thought you'd never ask."

After several minutes of kissing and groping, Eren gently laid Levi back on the grass. He sat back for a moment to admire the naked form laid out before him with wings partially spread and looking up at him with a mix of love and lust and just a smidgeon of apprehension.

Eren settled between Levi's legs and continued kissing. His hand wandered up and down Levi's sides and chest as Levi's hands wandered under his shirt to rub his sides and back. After a few more minutes, tired of being the only one still clothed, Eren sat up and pulled his shirt off over his head. The shirt hadn't even cleared his head when he felt Levi's hands exploring his chest. The months of constant training had worked wonders for his muscles. His chest, back and abdomen were beautifully toned beneath smooth, perfect skin.

He grinned down at Levi as he clumsily wriggled out of his jeans, boxer briefs, socks and sneakers all at once. Finally, free of the constricting clothes, he again settled atop Levi to resume kissing and exploring.

Levi's hands shamelessly explored every inch of skin he could reach. He took special pleasure in the feel of Eren's firm, rounded ass. He took one cheek in each hand and gave them a solid grope, eliciting a soft moan from the younger. He was the one to moan, however, when Eren began to kiss down his throat, along his collar bones and down his breast bone. He inhaled sharply when he felt Eren's lips close around his left nipple, hands still wandering ceaselessly over his chest, sides and abdomen.

His breathing became heavy as Eren switched to the other nipple. His hands buried themselves in chocolate locks and massaged Eren's scalp. Eren kissed him on the lips once then his ear and then whispered, "Roll over."

Levi folded in his wings and did as instructed without question, his whole body vibrating with anticipation. Once he lay on his belly, propped up on his elbows, legs spread and wings again partially open, Eren immediately began massaging the beautiful ass that he'd only ever dreamed of being able to see. "You have got the most perfect ass," Eren told him.

Levi never got the chance to answer, since immediately after declaring his ass perfect, Eren ran his warm, velvety tongue up the cleft before spreading the cheeks and placing a feathery kiss on the puckered opening. Levi let out a soft, whimpering sigh of pleasure in response. There was something about being delicately touched in such an intimate spot that Levi found to be hugely arousing.

Eren sat back a moment, holding the cheeks apart to examine the opening, debating what he wanted to do next. He didn't take long to decide before he began tonguing, kissing and sucking the opening. The taste was both salty and slightly sour, but the long, low groan it drew from Levi's throat was positively delicious. He continued his ministrations for several minutes massaging the cheeks as he did, interspersed with the occasional nip or kiss to the cheeks.

When Eren stopped, Levi glanced over his shoulder their eyes locked as younger made a deliberate show of putting his index finger into his mouth and began running his tongue all over it to get it thoroughly coated in saliva with a look that Levi could only describe as sinful. Finally satisfied with the coating, Eren reached down and began rubbing circles around the anus before gradually pushing it in, pumping in and out slightly until the entire length was buried in the silky heat.

Levi sighed with pleasure at the sensation of his body being penetrated in such an intimate way. He'd always liked being the subservient during sex. He always preferred to let his partners have complete control. He lifted his ass a bit as Eren's finger moved around, exploring the silky wet walls and marveling at the heat. He pulled out, laved up his middle finger and slowly inserted both fingers. He pumped them slowly in and out with a twisting motion.

He finally added a third finger and continued pumping, but this time pressing towards Levi's front, searching for something. The older man bucked his hips and let out a loud moan as Eren finally found what he was looking for. The younger now assaulted the prostate with gusto. Levi was on the brink when Eren withdrew his fingers, resulting in a pathetic whine.

Eren placed a kiss at the nape of Levi's neck. "I don't want you coming without me."

Levi let out another low moan as he felt the tip of Eren's erection press against his opening briefly before pushing through and sliding deep inside his body in one long and very slow stroke. As Eren waited to make sure the smaller man's body was fully adjusted to the intrusion, Levi took the time to appreciate the sensations of their connection. Eren was in him up to his balls, which were pressed against his perineum. He could feel the course brown hairs at the base of the phallus tickling the upper side of his opening. He could feel the thick, hot phallus throbbing oh so deep inside of him.

He wasn't sure why, the feeling of being connected to Eren in this way felt so much more intense than being connected to anyone else before. Eren peppered kisses across the backs of his shoulders as he waited, until Levi shifted his hips, indicating that Eren should move. He felt Eren's lips form a smile against the nape of his neck as the younger drew back to the tip and then thrust in again in solid stroke, eliciting another pleasured moan from Levi's throat. As Eren gradually picked up the pace, Levi twisted his torso around for a kiss.

Eren readjusted his position, placing one hand on Levi's waist and another on his shoulder before thrusting into him in earnest. Still propped up on his elbows, Levi let his head drop so that his forehead rested on his forearms and let himself drown in the sensation of Eren moving in and out of his body. And then Eren pulled out.

Before he could question it, Eren instructed him, "On your back. I want to see your face."

Levi again folded his wings and shifted onto his back, wrapping his legs loosely around Eren's waist. Eren leaned in and kissed him as he thrust back in to Levi's welcoming heat. Levi threw his head back and let out a moaning sigh as Eren found his prostate again. He repeatedly assaulted that spot as he continued kissing Levi. The combined sensation of Eren filling him up then pulling out only to fill him up again, the continuous assault on his prostate and the friction of Eren's abdomen against his own weeping phallus had him drowning in pure bliss.

Without warning, Levi let out a sharp gasp, arced his back off the ground and his muscles tightened around Eren's still thrusting phallus. Nearly a dozen, brilliant, clear, round gems exploded from his eyes as tears of ecstasy ran down his face. His mind blanked as a powerful orgasm washed over him. He'd never had such an orgasm in his life. It lasted far longer than he though possible. By the time his senses began to return, he opened his eyes just in time to see Eren reach his own orgasm. The younger tilted his head back, mouth open in a silent scream as he spilled his seed deep into Levi's body.

A few moments later, Eren pulled out, lay down at Levi's side and lazily kissed him. "That was beautiful," he stated with a smile.

Levi placed a hand against the side of Eren's face. "It was. I think maybe being in love makes all the difference." Levi had had sex plenty of times, and he would describe his sex life as great. He also knew that sex was just that; sex. He now knew, however, that making love was a thousand times better than just sex.

They lay together for several minutes, basking in the afterglow. Eren eventually shifted and sat up with a chuckle. "Geez, you just get yourself all nice and clean and I come along and make a filthy mess of you again." He stood and headed to the edge of the pool, Levi openly admiring his strong back, round buttocks and long, powerful legs. Training had **_definitely_** done wonderful things to Eren's body.

"Totally worth it," Levi mused aloud as he too stood and followed Eren into the pool. Washing quickly turned to kissing which inevitably turned into round two. They stood in the middle of the pool, Eren thrusting slow and steady into Levi from behind, his arms wrapped around the smaller man, one hand firmly against his chest and the other stroking his phallus in time with his thrusts. Levi moved in time with the thrusts, one hand resting on the one Eren had on his chest and the other reaching back over his head to bury itself in Eren's hair as he twisted his torso enough so that they could kiss while doing their sensual dance.

Eren broke the kiss and buried his face in the junction of Levi's neck and shoulder and let out a long, low moan as he came harder than he did the first time. He continued thrusting lazily as he rode out his lengthy orgasm, still stroking his partner's phallus to bring him to completion. A couple of minutes later, Levi's entire body shuddered, wings and all as he came hard for the second time that night.

The two men stood in the middle of the pool for a while, Levi still wrapped in Eren's arms while they caught their breath, occasionally exchanging loving kisses. Eventually, Levi just rested his head back on Eren's shoulder and sighed in blissful contentment. "I love you, Eren."

Eren kissed Levi's shoulder. "I love you more."

Levi lifted his head and turned to give Eren an incredulous look. "Oh my god. Did you really just say that? That was so fucking cheesy."

Eren buried his face in the crook of Levi's neck and laughed. "I know."

Levi reached up and mussed the younger's damp hair. "You're such a dork."

Eren kissed him on the cheek. "Yeah, but at least now I'm **_your_** dork, so it's not so bad."

"Good. You're my dork and I'm your asshole."

"You are not!" Eren protested. "You're my . . . my . . . okay; you're an asshole."

Levi burst out laughing. It was the first truly free and relaxed sound Eren had heard from the older man. It was absolutely beautiful. Eren laughed along with him and their combined laughter echoed up and down the valley.


	30. Chapter 30

Fleeing Again

Levi awoke to a familiar warmth and comfort. As many times as he'd shared a bed with Eren, he'd grown used to the feeling. More than that, he'd grown to appreciate and enjoy the feeling, but never so much as this morning. He was laying half on Eren, using the younger's shoulder as a pillow. One wing was draped over them both like a heated blanket. He usually just got out of bed and started his day as soon as he woke up, but today, for the first time in his life, Levi took the time to enjoy and truly appreciate the comfort of the person beside him.

His hand was warm where it rested against Eren's chest, and he could hear the strong, steady heartbeat. Eren's chest rose and fell slightly with each soft breath he took. Levi looked up at the sleeping man's face. He took in the long, brown lashes that rested on his soft cheeks and the slightly parted and oh so tempting pink lips. His chin was rough and lightly shadowed with the beginnings of stubble. He eventually lay his head back on Eren's shoulder, debating whether or not he wanted to go back to sleep. He was about to drift off to sleep when he felt a pair of soft lips kiss the top of his head.

"G'morinin'," came the sleepy greeting.

Levi lifted his head to look down at his smiling lover. "Mornin'."

Eren stretched out his body with a happy groan, then cocked his head to the side when he looked back up at Levi who was smiling down at him with his silver eyes filled with love. His eyes and his smile widened. "You should smile more often," Eren commented. "It's beautiful."

Levi hadn't even realized he'd been smiling. "Look what you do to me," he chuckled.

"I like it," Eren replied as he stretched again.

"You know, we should probably get dressed and head back to the lodge," Levi suggested. "Preferably before my meddling mother comes looking for us and finds us laying here naked."

Eren's eyes widened. "Or worse still, sends **_my_** mother to find us!"

"Even worse, they **_both_** come."

The two men looked at each other for a moment, horrified by the possibilities. They then both got up and pulled on their clothes as fast as they could. "It's still early," Levi stated as he looked at his watch before putting it on. "Maybe we can sneak in without anyone seeing us."

"I'm pretty sure I left the balcony door open in the bedroom. You could fly us up there to get in," Eren suggested.

"Good idea," Levi agreed.

The problem was, when they got there, someone had closed and locked the door. "Mother," Levi growled. "She did that on purpose. She wants to catch us going in. Normally a lock wouldn't be an issue, but I don't usually carry my lock picking tools with me when I'm here."

"You carry lock picking tools?"

"Useful things to any hero. They're good for breaking in to villain facilities; breaking in to a home to save someone who's incapacitated and can't come unlock the door; breaking in to Hange's apartment pigsty to clean."

Eren snorted. "Armin said Hange's place was a federal disaster area. It took him and Mika over an hour just to get to the bed in the guest room and then another hour to get everything off it."

"Sounds about right," Levi grunted. He glared at the door handle, laid hold of it and commanded, "Let me pass." There was a soft click and he turned the handle and stepped into the room.

"That. Was cool." Eren exclaimed as he followed Levi inside.

The two men went through their normal morning routines then left the room to go to breakfast like they always did. They came down the stairs to the entry hall to find, as expected, both mothers standing, facing the doors waiting.

"G'morning, Mom," Levi said has he started down the stairs. "Are we expecting to have visitors?"

Both women whirled around in surprise and then disappointment. "Oh. Good morning, Levi. Good morning, Eren. No, no visitors. Carla and I were just discussing . . ." Kuchel drifted off.

"Um . . . how to get rid of the aphids on the roses on the veranda." Carla finished.

Levi raised an eyebrow as he reached the bottom of the stairs. "I don't recall seeing any roses on the veranda."

"Maybe she meant the garden," Eren suggested helpfully. "But I don't remember seeing any aphids on the roses, though. And I was there yesterday."

"Are you two okay?" Levi asked. "You're acting pretty strange this morning."

"No!" they both yelped a little too quickly.

Levi and Eren looked at each other, shrugged and headed for the kitchen. "I need caffeine," Levi announced.

"Me too," Eren concurred. "Lots of caffeine."

As the four sat around the table, worshipping their coffees, Eren spoke up. "Kuchel, I need to thank you for the suggestion of a bath in the meditation pool. It worked wonders for me. Slept like a baby last night."

"You went to the meditation pool last night?" Levi asked, keeping his signature bored expression. "Huh. Musta just missed each other."

The completely deflated expression on their mothers' faces was priceless.

"Okay, you two are acting really weird this morning," Eren confronted. "All of a sudden you look like we kicked your puppy or something."

"Mother," Levi said dangerously. "Did you send Eren out to the pool for less than innocent reasons?"

Kuchel was the picture of feigned innocence. "What ever do you mean?"

"Mother."

Kuchel sighed in defeat. "Alright. I had hoped the Eren would find you out there. I hoped you would both finally acknowledge your feelings for each other."

"Meddlesome," Levi accused dryly.

"I'm a mother," Kuchel deadpanned. "It's in the job description."

Eren was trying desperately not to laugh and give up the game. But he wasn't good enough to fool his mother. "Kuchel, I do believe your little scheme worked," Carla ratted.

Eren's eyes widened as everyone suddenly looked at him. Levi shook his head with a faint smirk. "You'd be a shitty poker player," he told the younger.

Eren hung his head. "Yeah. I can't lie worth shit either."

Both men jumped when a high-pitched squeal pierced the air. "FINALLY!" Kuchel yelled triumphantly as she rushed around the table and crushed both Levi and Eren in a victory hug. "I'm so happy for you!" Neither man knew how to respond to the tearfully overjoyed woman. It became even more awkward when Carla added herself to the already suffocating embrace.

"Okay. Okay. I'd kinda like to breathe now," Levi said in a strained gasp.

Kuchel whacked her son on the back of the head when she released him. "Frickin' took you long enough!"

"Yeah. Whatever," Levi grumbled.

"Geez, Mom," Eren wheezed. "Never thought you'd be so excited that I got boyfriend instead of a girlfriend."

"You can't help who you fall in love with, dear," Carla told him. "And it's never wrong to love."

Eren smiled in relief. "Thanks, Mom."

"So. I hear Eren's taking it up the ole poop chute," Oluo stated as he strode into the kitchen with the other household members.

"OLUO!" Petra squawked as she pinched his ear hard. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"

"What makes you assume I'd be on the bottom?" Eren asked indignantly.

"More importantly, don't you all know that eavesdropping outside the kitchen door is rude?" Levi added. "But if you must know about our private sex lives, Eren is a phenomenal top."

Everyone's jaw dropped at the bluntly crass statement. Levi smirked wickedly and Eren almost fell under the table laughing at the dumb looks they were getting. Levi drank down the last of his coffee an stood up. "Well. That's enough fun for now. Let's get on with your training now, shall we?"

Eren wiped tears of laughter from his eyes and followed Levi from the kitchen. "Sounds great," he said weakly as he tried to stop laughing.

Kuchel and Carla stood in the kitchen door as the men went outside to train. "Our moms are pretty awesome, aren't they?" Eren commented, unaware that said moms could hear.

Levi smiled in spite of himself. "Yeah. They are."

* * *

More days of training followed. But there was also plenty of time spent just enjoying each other's company. It was a completely knew experience for Levi, being so completely free and relaxed around another person; being in love. He especially enjoyed time spent just holding, or being held by Eren, who clearly enjoyed the same.

Sex was particularly fun as they experimented with each other and spent endless hours exploring each other's bodies, learning just what turned the other on. "You know," Eren started after three rounds of sex with Levi topping for the middle round. "You're so dominant in everything that you do and so totally alpha-male in your personality, that it's no wonder Oluo assumed that I bottomed. It's kinda hard to believe that you would want to be the submissive one in sex."

Levi chuckled. "I suppose you have a good point. I've always been a bit of a control freak. Sex is the one thing where I want to just let go and let someone else have control and make all the decisions. It's the primary reason why I've always been so selective about my partners. I've only ever had four partners in my whole life. I have to really trust someone before I have sex with them. I have to trust them in order to let them take control."

Eren sat up to look down at Levi. "Wait. What are Erwin and Hange going to say? Aren't you currently with them?"

"That's more of a friends-with-benefits relationship," Levi said. "It's just sex; nothing more. We're friends and we trust each other. That's my only real criteria. Until you came along, love never entered the equation. Now that I have you, I won't need to go to them for . . . relief."

Eren's eyebrows went up. "Wow. That's cold."

Levi reached up to flick Eren's forehead. "Okay. That came out wrong. You know I suck at expressing myself. Basically, they're both smart people, so I'm sure they knew what was between us before even I did. Especially Hange. They've always been particularly in tune with my emotions, even if I denied having them."

"I'm okay with sharing if that's what you're worried about," Eren stated. "Just for sex, that is."

Levi chuckled. "While I appreciate the sentiment, the fact is that sex with those two, while it was great, would be rather unsatisfactory now. Now that I've been with you and I now know how beautiful sex can be when combined with love, I can never go back." His lips pulled into a sly smile. "Guess you've ruined me for everyone else."

Eren's smile was blinding. "I can live with that. I may be willing to share, but I'm glad I don't have to." He leaned in and kissed the older man passionately. "Honestly, I was afraid I wouldn't stack up very well to your past experiences. I mean, I had no experience at all."

Levi's eyes widened. "Wait. I was your first fuck?"

Eren bit his lower lip and nodded. "I just never connected enough to anyone that made me feel like going all the way. I guess that's kind of messed up."

"Not at all. Lots of people are demisexual."

"Demisexual?"

"Yeah. Means you need to have an emotional connection to someone before you can feel sexual attraction," Levi explained. "I guess I'm kind of the same way, since I need to really trust a friend before I feel any kind of sexual attraction. Now that I have love, however, friendship and trust just aren't enough anymore."

They settled back in for post-sex cuddling for a while, until Levi decided they both needed a shower before going to sleep. As they showered, Eren was deep in thought. "What's on your mind?" Levi finally asked.

"How do you think things are going back in Mitras? I mean, we've been here for the past three weeks and haven't heard anything."

Levi paused in drying himself off. "Honestly, I don't know. I've been keeping mental tabs on Hange and Erwin, and neither of them have had any unusual distress, but things are definitely strained back there."

"We should tell them what the Fates told you, and what Ilse learned about the Super clones." Just to be a brat, Eren lightly ran his index finger up Levi's spine from the top of his ass cleft to the nape of his neck.

"You little shit," Levi growled, though the growl couldn't be taken very seriously since he was also chuckling as a mass of goose bumps erupted across his entire body. "And you're right. We should. Erwin told me to wait until he sent for me, but now that I know how to create a portal, I could take us back directly into headquarters without being seen."

"Should I start packing?" Eren asked as he began to dry off.

Levi took Eren's towel away and pushed him back towards the shower. "We'll leave tomorrow. For now, I'm thinking you need to fuck me against the shower wall." He pointed down at his rapidly hardening phallus. "You need to take responsibility for doing this to me with that spine tickle."

Eren obligingly lifted Levi up by the thighs and pressed the smaller man to the shower wall with his own body. "Gladly."

* * *

**_Hange, Erwin, I'm about to create a portal into the common room. Make sure everyone is out of the way and doesn't attack us when we come through, _**Levi sent telepathically.

**_Alright, Levi. We're ready, _**Hange responded.

Levi turned to his mother and gave her a hug. "I may be back, depending on what Erwin has decided. Thank you for letting us stay here."

Kuchel hugged him back. "Of course, dear. You know you're welcome anytime. Eren too."

"I love you, Mom. I don't say it nearly enough. Thanks for everything."

Kuchel squeezed her son a little tighter. "I love you too, Levi. More than anything."

They separated and Levi looked back to where Eren was hugging his own mother goodbye. "It's time to go."

Eren separated from his mother and went over to where Levi stood. "Thank you for everything, Kuchel. Especially for helping Mom."

"You're very welcome, Eren. You two take care of each other. Remember, you need each other in order to succeed against Titan," Kuchel said.

Levi nodded in acknowledgement, then held out his right hand. A bright light filled the area on the veranda as the portal opened. Without another word, Levi and Eren stepped through.

Both men froze in their tracks the instant they stepped out the other side and the portal collapsed behind them. "Holy shit!" Eren exclaimed.

Not two inches from where they both stopped, stood Hange, a crazed look of open fascination in their bespectacled eyes. "What the fuck, Four-eyes?!" Levi snapped. "Are you trying to get run over?"

Hange never moved, but let out a long, breathy, "Wowwwww."

Levi stepped around the lunatic. "Nice to see you too," he snarked.

"Oo! Oo! Oo! How'd you do that? How'd you do that?" they asked excitedly as they followed him over to one of the sofas.

"Magic," he replied flatly as he dropped his backpack on the floor and flopped down onto the sofa.

"Cooooooooool!"

Eren shook his head in amusement as he went to sit beside Levi.

"Where's Eyebrows?" Levi asked.

"He's upstairs at work," Hange replied. "Everyone else is asleep."

"Figures. We need to talk to him. I found out a few hints about the heads of Titan."

"Did the Prophet finally see something?" Hange asked.

"No. She still can't see anything, but the Fates gave me a few insights."

"The Fates. As in the three weaver women, Greek mythology Fates?" Hange's eyes were wide with curiosity.

"Sort of. But they're nothing like the ancient myths. There's a maiden, a mother and an old woman. They don't decide our fates or destinies, though. There are many roads to reach our individual destinies, but because everything we do affects everyone around us, they make sure that the threads of our lives all weave together flawlessly so that the fabric of destiny doesn't unravel."

"And you talked to them? You actually met them?"

"Yep. Multiple times over multiple lives, apparently. This was the first time in this life, though," Levi explained as he laid back on the top of the sofa. "My soul is what remembered them and the reason I got it into my head to go see them and how to get there."

"You mean that really cool portal thing you came here with?" Hange surmised.

"Yeah. They wouldn't give me any details, of course, but they did give me a few hints and, more importantly, hope."

"What hints?"

"For one, the reason we're having so much trouble finding the head of Titan is that there's more than one. All wealthy and all with considerable power and influence. However, there is only one weakness. There is one person that somehow holds the entire organization together. Take out that one and the entire organization goes up in smoke." Levi chose to leave out the part about the "evil" that was truly behind everything and about having to fight this battle again in 2,000 years.

"So?" Hange asked impatiently. "Who is this weakness?"

Levi laid his head back against the back of the sofa and closed is eyes. "Didn't say. Only that they're closer than we think and to 'look up'."

"Look up?"

Levi just sat staring at the ceiling. Then his brow slowly furrowed, and he sat up a little straighter, still looking up at the ceiling. "Look up," he said distractedly. Suddenly he looked at Hange. "What do we know about the owner/CEO of Wellington Tech? Didn't he buy up 80% of the stock in the company ten years ago?"

Hange looked confused for a moment, then looked at the ceiling along with Eren. Realization dawned on the two at the same time. "Look up. You think it's possible?"

"Closer than we think and look up. I think it's very possible," Levi confirmed.

"I thought Marley inherited Wellington Tech when his father was killed in that train wreck ten years ago," Eren stated.

"That's partially true," Hange said. "He inherited a sizeable number of stocks from his father, but not enough to have a controlling interest. Marley owns stock in a large number of companies around the globe, so it wasn't much for him to buy up enough stock to take primary ownership of Well-Tech."

"As I recall, that train wreck was never properly explained. I remember that incident. I was there helping with the rescue. Not that there were many alive to rescue," Levi added. "Unofficially, the derailment was caused by a rail coming loose and shifting out of alignment, and when that high-speed train hit that gap it just went flying everywhere. One of the cars ended up on one of the overpass bridges which caused a 37-car pileup since it happened at evening rush. Thing is, they never were able to explain why the rail came loose. From what I saw, the spikes were missing completely; not even laying near the track. Looked to me like someone removed the spikes on purpose, but it was never investigated. Officially, they just blamed the engineer and called it operator error, and since the engineer was dead, there was no one to contest that."

Hange shook their head. "287 people died in that wreck. Another 13 were killed up on the overpass. There were 322 people on the train to begin with. Normally, a wealthy guy like Arlo Wellington wouldn't be on a commuter train, but it was to prove a new traffic tracking technology would help traffic controllers with coordinating trains and avoiding collisions between them. He was in the front with the engineer and four city officials when the accident occurred."

"You really think Marley would have orchestrated his own father's death just to gain control of Wellington?" Eren questioned in disbelief.

"It's possible. People commit murder for less. But we have no proof. Just like we have no proof that the Shiganshina riots were to trap your father in the city. It's all strictly circumstantial coincidence," Levi told him. "Thing is, this guy has control of a lot of large companies around the world. Take him out, and a lot of those companies would collapse without his support, including Wellington. From what I understand, he has no heirs."

"If he is really with Titan, and he finds out who Erwin really is . . ." Hange started.

"Or he knows already, which would explain how Titan found our old headquarters. He could have traced Erwin somehow," Levi finished. "It's all just theory, though I still think it's an avenue worth pursuing. Better to err on the side of caution."

"Right," Hange agreed. "I'll go see what I can dig up on Marley Wellington before Erwin get's back. Maybe I should check Keith Shadis, the company president too, seeing as he's Erwin's boss. We should check Erwin for tracking devices when he gets here. If we find one, we'll have to leave this headquarters too."

Levi groaned. "What an absolute shit show."

* * *

To say Erwin was surprised when he stepped into headquarters to have Hange smack their palm against his forehead and hold it there would be an immense understatement. "Um, Hange? I'm pretty sure I don't have a fever."

"Ha ha," they replied dryly as they turned to Levi. "I was right. He's got a whole host of nanomachines in him."

Erwin's eyebrows went up in surprise. "I beg you're pardon? And what are you doing back, Levi?"

"Long story," Levi replied. He proceeded to explain everything that he had discussed with Hange. He was thankful everyone else was awake and gathered in the common room so that he wouldn't have to explain things a third time. _I hate having to repeat myself._

Everyone turned pale when the theory of Marley Wellington being a linchpin in Titan and of Titan finding out Erwin was The Commander. "So that's why the check for some kind of tracking tech," Erwin surmised.

"That's right," Hange confirmed. "I can easily disable the machines, but since Titan knows we're here, they may attack if the machines are disabled before we're ready to leave. Thankfully, all they can do is track you. They can't attack you or relay anything other than your location."

"How the devil did they get a pile of nanomachines inside the Commander?" Ymir asked.

"I probably ingested them. Marley is fond of serving drinks at high end meetings and social gatherings. Who knows how long they've been tracking me?" Erwin replied.

"Okay, so how'd they know that Erwin Smith and The Commander are one and the same?" Ymir followed up.

"That I don't know," Erwin admitted. He held his head in his hands and groaned. "Very well. Here's what we're going to do. We're going to fry this facility and move to Site C. Levi, we'll need you to create a portal to Site C for us to use. It's the only way to ensure Titan can't track us. You, me and Hange will be the last ones to go through the portal. Hange, you'll fry the nanomachines right before I step through the portal. We'll figure out how this happened and what to do from there once we're settled in."

Everyone nodded and set about gathering up everything they were taking with them and destroying that which they had to leave behind. Once everything was set, Levi created a portal to the Site C, for which only he, Krista, Ymir, Hange and Erwin knew the exact location. Once everything and everyone else was through, Hange stood in front of Erwin. "Um . . . you're probably gonna feel this. I've never fried anything that was inside someone before, so I'm not sure how it's gonna go. You'll have to tell me what you feel. You know, if it hurts or tickles or makes you dizzy. Oh! And pay attention to any odd symptoms, such as nausea, headache, heart palpitations, MMMMPH!"

"Just shut the fuck up and do it already you freaky geek!" Levi scolded as he covered their mouth. "UGH! Fucking gross!" he yelped as they lapped his hand and he yanked back as if burned.

"Killjoy," Hange accused. They placed their hand on Erwin's forehead. Levi knew the deed was done when the large blond jumped and let out a high-pitched yelping laugh. Hange was ecstatic. "Oo, oo, oo! What'd it feel like? What – HEY!"

"Ask him later!" Levi told them as he shoved both through the portal, going through right behind. The portal closed the instant he was through the other side. "Okay, four eyes. **_Now_** you can ask your twenty gazillion questions."

Instead of bombarding Erwin, however, Hange turned to where the portal once was and bombarded Levi instead. "Woooooooah! That was soooo cool! How do you do that? Are you bending space? Or maybe cutting through another dimension . . ." Levi just rolled his eyes and proceeded to ignore their endless onslaught of questions. Erwin just looked relieved to have been spared; at least temporarily.


	31. Chapter 31

Debriefing

Site C headquarters was under an old, Victorian style house well outside the city limits. The house and property were long abandoned and being more than a half mile off the nearest road with a driveway long reclaimed by the woods and meadows; it was also long forgotten by the world. The Scouts had lost everything. Two headquarters, individual apartments and condos and all vehicles. All technology that they couldn't take with them had been set to melt down so that no information remained for Titan to find.

Once everyone was settled, and the equipment they'd brought with them set up, Erwin retreated to a private room without a word. Hange and Levi both knew to leave him alone. "He needs some time think everything out," Levi explained to everyone.

They hadn't had time to prepare, so there wasn't much in the way of snack foods available, but Sasha had skillfully whipped up a meal of rice and beans from canned beans and tomatoes, dried spices and minute rice. They all sat around a large coffee table in the common room eating and discussing the situation. "If we know it's Marley that we need to eliminate, then why don't we just do so? Why are we running and hiding?" Jean questioned in irritation.

"Because we don't know for sure that he's the one we need to take down," Levi replied with unusual patience. "It's still only a hypothesis. While evidence strongly points to him being with Titan, we have nothing to prove it and I'm not really sure he's the linchpin."

"I thought you were," Krista observed.

"At first, yes, but the more I think about it, the more I think maybe it's someone who works closely under him," Levi told her. "He's too wealthy and too well known to fit someone who pulls the strings from the background. Someone who works very closely with him, however, would fit the bill."

"Okay, then, let me ask this," Jean began. "We know someone in Titan was tracking the Commander, so why didn't they attack us the moment we moved to the second headquarters?"

"The walls, floor and ceiling of Site B were all made of an alloy that would have blocked the tracking nano's signals," Hange added. "However, given time, they would still have figured out where we were if Erwin's signal kept disappearing down there."

Armin had leaned forward, elbows on his knees and his brow furrowed in thought. "There are still a large number of variables to consider before we make a move anyway. Attacking Marley would alert Titan that we're closing in on them, and the real linchpin, as Levi calls them, would retreat into hiding. We'd be back at square one. Wellington Tech has its fingers in a lot of other corporations; OPECORP for instance. No doubt Erwin's been using his position in Wellington to obtain insider information on all of the other corporations' connections to Titan. For instance, OPECORP supplies Titan with specialized weapons. Their contact with Titan up until Levi killed him a few years ago was Harbinger."

Levi's expression darkened at the mention of his former nemesis, but Armin's brow furrowed even more. "Harbinger . . ." the blond mused before his eyes suddenly widened almost comically as he stumbled over Eren and Mikasa's legs as he scrambled over to Hange's new workstation (about which Levi was baffled by how it was already a mess in less than three hours) and shuffled through the papers and equipment until he found the copy of the 'Book of Titan' as Hange had dubbed it.

He came back to his seat, nearly face-planting several times, since he was leafing through the pages of the book rather than watching where he was going. "I remember something I read in this book. It didn't mean too much at the time but thinking about Harbinger . . ." Armin trailed off as he continued leafing through pages until he found what he was looking for. "Here! 'The madman will bring about the Impures' destruction. All who would impede you will cower before his strength and intelligence. The madman is unstoppable and will be the harbinger of the Impures' doom'," Armin quoted

"Sounds a little like Harbinger," Levi admitted. "but that fuckstick **_was_** stoppable. I proved that myself."

"That's just it," Armin emphasized excitedly as he turned a few pages. "Listen to this. 'The purge of the Impure will begin when the mountain of false tears cries its fiery last and will be complete when the sun eclipses over the Fiery veil'." Armin looked up from the book to find everyone staring at him in open confusion. "Don't you see? The purge was supposed to be over by now, not just beginning!"

"How do you figure?" Hange asked.

Levi looked at them in obvious surprise. "Even **_you_** didn't get that?"

When they shook their head, Armin rolled his eyes and explained. "The 'purge' was supposed to be handled by Harbinger, but he's dead, so they're behind schedule. You see, Mount Luhpalsu, or False Tears, erupted after 10,000 years of dormancy right before you killed Harbinger and then collapsed into the ocean. All that's left is a crater under the ocean and countless lives lost or ruined by the resulting tsunamis. The mountain cried its last and is no more."

"Then there was last year's total eclipse occurring over Potae Marena aka Bridal Veil Falls. Now a lot of people call it the Veil of Flames because when photographed from the cave behind the falls at sunset, the falls seem to be on fire. The purge was supposed to be completed by now. If I'm right, then the death of Harbinger threw Titan's plans way off track. There's nothing in the book about copies or clones or anything like what is going on right now. Levi, you're the one who killed Harbinger. That means that this book of prophecy is now in cast in a shadow of doubt. Titan's victory is no longer guaranteed. That means, Levi, that you're a wild card in all of this. They're refraining from attacking because they don't know what will happen anymore. They're no longer confident they can succeed."

"So, the clones must be a backup that they came up with to try to compensate for the loss of Harbinger," Hange added excitedly, catching on to what Armin was saying. "Those Turncoat clones were never a part of the plan. Which means they may be waiting for one of them to take out Levi, not realizing that he's not a true Super."

Armin was again excitedly flipping through pages. "It gets better. If I'm right . . . Yes! Here! 'The key will be found by a man who repairs the Spiral Staircase. He will give this key to his offspring, The Coordinate, after he has repaired the Spiral Staircase. When the purge is complete, use The Coordinate to return humanity to its original glory.' They're talking abut Dr. Jaeger and Eren. The Spiral Staircase is a metaphor for DNA, and Dr. Jaeger specialized in gene therapy. He also modified Eren's genes, thus making him the key to Titan's success, aka, The Coordinate. Thing is, they haven't been able to get ahold of Eren because of you, Levi. Everything was going Titan's way until you killed Harbinger and then took Eren from their reach. Now they're improvising to try making the prophesy come true. Eren may be their key to success, but **_you_** are the key to their defeat."

Everyone looked to Levi. The man was sitting on the edge of one of the sofas, forearms resting on his thighs, but his hands balled into tight fists. His brow was furrowed in a scowl, but his eyes had a haunted look. "Levi?" Hange questioned worriedly.

"I never realized at the time that killing Harbinger would have such a huge impact on Titan," Levi began. "At the time, I only knew that Erwin was looking to question him about it. I didn't care. The fucker had killed too many innocent people and the law had failed to stop him. So, I did."

Armin was nothing if not perceptive. "There's more to this thing with Harbinger than you're telling us."

Levi looked up at the blond, his eyes still haunted. "You're right. I think it goes back further than I initially realized. You see, I was raised by Kenny Ackerman." The room was instantly full of shocked expressions except for Hange. "My mother handed me over to him when Titan broke into our home. I remember it had something to do with Titan wanting us. With what you just told us, Armin, I suspect they wanted to kill us rather than use our DNA for their experiments. They may have known that we could alter their plans. Maybe they have a prophet of their own. Anyway, it was my father that betrayed us. I guess he was working with Titan. He also worked for Harbinger." Levi proceeded to tell everyone what had happened to his friends and to his father and ended with his killing of Harbinger years later. Hange and Eren sat on either side of him rubbing his back soothingly the entire time.

"So that's why you wanted Harbinger to see your face when you killed him," Erwin said as he came into the room and sat down.

"So, you heard all that," Levi commented blandly.

"I did," Erwin confirmed. "Forgive me for not making my presence known sooner, but I didn't want to interrupt. I knew you'd had a past with him but didn't realize your father worked with him or that he'd killed your friends. You were once the Super hero called Blackwing." He placed the photo and the three black gems he'd recovered from Harbinger's body on the coffee table. Levi refused to look at them. "Can you tell us about these gems?"

"They're tears," Levi replied flatly.

"They're yours, aren't they?" Erwin pressed.

Levi let out an audible sigh and nodded. "Yeah. The color is dictated by emotion. Black is complete and utter despair. Blackwing died that day."

He was shocked when Mikasa got up from her seat on the other side of Eren and hugged him, tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Levi."

Levi hesitantly hugged her back. "Thank you," he said softly.

"No wonder you're such an asshole," Ymir jabbed as she tried to hide tears of her own.

He let out a huffed laugh. "That's closer to the truth than I'd care to admit." Levi took in a deep, cleansing breath as Mikasa returned to her seat. "Armin, tell Eyebrows what you just told all of us."

Erwin thought for a moment once Armin finished going over his theory in detail for the second time. "I think you may be on to something," Erwin agreed. "Brilliant reasoning, Armin."

The smaller blond sat blushing as he mumbled a soft, "Thanks."

"Tell me, have any of you read _The Demon Chronicles_?" Erwin asked. Everyone looked at him in confusion, but most shook their heads, having never heard of it. Only Levi, Hange and Armin nodded.

"I read them a few years ago. I think I was a senior in high school," Armin said. "But what do those books have to do with . . ." The blond trailed off as he looked over at Levi. "Wait! I get it!"

"Get what?" Levi asked in confusion.

Hange's eyes widened. "Oh! I see!"

"You see what?" Levi's patience was fast wearing thin. He'd been the center of attention and uncomfortable talking about himself for too long and was looking forward to the change in subject. His hopes were quickly dashed.

"When you spoke with the Fates, did they mention anything about the dark ages 500 years ago?" Erwin asked.

"Yeah. The evil that nearly destroyed the world . . ." Realization of what Erwin was getting at finally dawned on him. "You think _The Demon Chronicles_ are real and that I was the demon who wrote them." Levi frowned as he thought about it for a moment. "I'll admit, the writer does sound a lot like me, and the original copies of those books are at least 500 years old or more. That would mean that Eren . . ." Levi chuckled. "I thought it was funny that you had the same name as the Arc in those books," he told Eren. "It makes sense now. Erwin is right. We fought the darkness back then. The Fates predicted that another evil would arise in 500 years and then again 2,000 years after that."

"That's right," Erwin agreed. "Not only that, but when the war ended, the chronicles state that the Arcs' world and human world merged. The chronicles don't mention any Super powers in humans prior to the war. It stands to reason that Arcs and human interbred, which would explain how Supers may have come about."

"But all of the Arcs lost their powers when the evil was destroyed. All they had left were their wings," Hange countered.

"True, the magic was lost, but while the chronicles state that the humans, Arcs and demons were of the same souls, they were still genetically different, and the Arc genes would have still been passed down. There's no way for anyone to have predicted how Arc DNA would affect the human genome," Erwin clarified. "It could explain why people have these powers. The Arc genes may affect something in the makeup of the brain that allows Super powers to manifest in some people."

Everything was silent in the room for several minutes while everyone mulled over the new theory.

"Ghallioht."

Everyone turned to look at Levi in confusion. "Pardon?" Erwin questioned.

Levi looked up from where he'd been staring at the floor, lost in thought. "Zeke Ghallioht; Marley's personal assistant. More like his right hand, but the man goes everywhere Marley goes and does everything for the him; organizes everything Marley does, every word he says, who he sees, what hand he wipes his ass with. Ghallioht is always just over Marely's right shoulder, but because he never interacts directly with anyone, he just seems to fade into the background and go unnoticed. What do we really know about him?"

Hange was already typing madly away on their laptop. "Hm. Let's see. Not much, apparently. No real background on the man. Nice looking fellow, though." They turned the laptop slowly around to show everyone in the room a picture. The man in question was standing just behind and to the right of Marley. He was tall, with dark blond hair, blue eyes behind a set of round wire-frame glasses and a neatly trimmed mustache and beard.

"Funny. I've seen him dozens of times on TV in the news and in newspapers, but I've never really noticed him before," Krista commented.

"I know, right," Jean agreed.

"He kinda reminds me of your father," Mikasa said to Eren.

Eren cocked his head to one side. "He kinda does, doesn't he? The eyes especially."

Hange froze in their typing. "Uh . . . looks like there's a good reason for that. Eren, did you know that Grisha was married and widowed before he met your mother?"

Eren and Mikasa both looked at them in shock. "What?!"

"It's true. Eleanor Ghallioht. She died shortly after giving birth and her parents claimed custody of the baby. Grisha started a huge legal battle, but when he thought it would hurt little Zeke, he gave up custody," Hange explained. "Based on what you told us about your father's letter, it would seem Grisha named the baby after his own brother he'd thought was dead."

Eren shook his head sadly. "Poor Dad. He went through so much shit. I'm kinda mad he never told me he had a prior marriage or that I had an older half-brother, but at the same time, I can't blame him. I can't say as I'd have done any differently. It's bad enough that his brother was or still is with Titan, but to have his son with Titan too . . . You don't suppose Eleanor's parents were with Titan, or that Uncle Zeke somehow got them to take my brother away from Dad?"

"It's possible," Levi said, his brow furrowed with concern. "But ultimately, that's not what's important. What's important right now is how you feel about going against your brother. Chances are very high that he'll have to die."

"Honestly," Eren replied. "I want to believe that you're mistaken and it's not my brother that's Titan's weakness, but at the same time, if he is, then I can't forgive him for all the pain and suffering he's caused and that which he wants to continue to cause, so if he really is Titan's linchpin, then I will kill him myself if necessary! I will kill all the Titans if I have to!" His words were spoken with furious vehemence and his eyes developed a wild, almost animalistic appearance.

Levi raised an eyebrow. "Not bad."

"This will require further investigation, of course, but we need to start making plans of how we are going to go about taking Titan down," Erwin stated.


	32. Chapter 32

Preparing for Battle

While Erwin, Hange and Armin investigated the possibility of Zeke Ghallioht being Titan's linchpin and worked on formulating plans to take Titan down, it fell to Levi to train the others. Jean was already showing improvement in his powers of observation and increased control over his powers. He was now able to literally blast the clothes and armor from the practice dummy and even blow the dummy itself apart from the inside out all using the power of air.

All of them were gaining increased powers of observation and perception since Levi used the same tactic he'd used with Eren; moving objects in the room around, removing objects, placing new ones in the room, altering an object in some small way, even adding sounds and smells for them to notice and mention. Failure to notice these changes resulted in creative punishment; everything ranging from cleaning the bathroom with nothing but a bar of soap and a toothbrush, to weeding the non-existent garden outside, to being used as Levi's demo target when showing the others fighting moves or as target practice for Faerie. Sasha was the only one that never failed to notice all of even the tiniest of changes. Eren only failed to notice one change once. Being uses as target practice for Faerie's powers once was more than enough for him.

Jean got whacked up the back of the head and sent to the bathroom with the soap and toothbrush when Levi caught him very obviously hunting for changes rather than simply observing them in passing. Mikasa's punishment for not bothering to notice even after Levi told them all to pay attention, was to have to clean the bathroom with a toothbrush alongside Jean. The woman visibly shuddered as she dejectedly carried her toothbrush in to join the man everyone knew had a crush on her. They both showed marked improvement after that day.

As far as Ymir and Krista went, they always worked together, so though they often missed a few things as individuals, as a team they managed to notice everything. Levi had to explain this to the others when asked why the two were never punished for failure to notice changes.

Levi saw to it that all of them knew how to use a gun. He trained them relentlessly in hand to hand combat (which Eren excelled at). He also ran them through brutal obstacle courses and stamina runs. "Damn, Levi," Ymir laughed breathlessly after a particularly challenging obstacle course. "I always knew you were a sadist, but this took it to a whole new level!"

"My heart bleeds root beer," he replied coldly.

Eren raised up his hand from where he lay sprawled on his back on the floor. "If it's as cold as your tone, I'll take a gallon!"

Armin, who had joined them for training for the day, raised his arm from where he lay gasping. "I'll take two!"

"Fuck you," Levi retorted, though there was no real bite to his words. "Tomorrow we begin true combat training. The system is a series of combat scenarios in multiple settings and landscapes. The facility is another 150 feet below us and has been used by the Scouts as a training grounds since the beginning. It was designed originally by Erwin Smith and perfected by Hange Zoe. You will be required to fulfill your mission without collateral damage. In other words, you're going to have to differentiate between innocent bystanders and enemies. Word of warning, the way these scenarios are set up, even if we repeat the same 'mission' several times, it will never run the same way twice, so be on your top form tomorrow."

The first mission was an absolute clusterfuck that had Levi groaning in misery as he watched from the control room. Everyone got in everyone else's way. At first, everyone had just been over awed by the size and technological sophistication of the facility. It was a combination of real terrain mixed with hologram enemies and dummies controlled by a computer system designed by Hange. There were city streets, small towns, ghettos, sewers, forest, mountain, rainforest, desert, open plains. The variable terrain combined with the holographic targets that were completely unpredictable and not all enemies and the highly complex missions made the simulations very difficult. To add to the realism, each participant wore an armband that would zap them if they were 'killed'.

It began simply enough on the cityscape section. They were to 'rescue' a hostage in a basement of one of the buildings. Armin tried to formulate a strategy, but they were out in plain sight as they moved, not listening to T-Bab or Faerie, and the instant an enemy showed up, Jean went after it blindly. Mikasa immediately pushed Eren behind her to try to shield him as more enemies popped up. Some enemies were actual dummies that fired rubber bullets. Sasha was hit by one and zapped as she tried to pull Jean back. Jean face-planted on the pavement as he tried to dive for cover only to get zapped as he was 'killed'. Mikasa was zapped as she attempted to punch one of the enemy holograms. That left Eren, Armin, T-Bab and Faerie. The noise attracted more enemies and a flash grenade took out the remaining four.

Levi had purposely not prepared them for the true scope of the first simulation so as to ascertain in what areas the group needed the most work. Again, that first mission was an absolute clusterfuck. "Teamwork," Levi told Hange and Erwin with a groan as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "They have no clue how to work as a team."

"No kidding," Hange agreed in awe. "They're so bad they even got T-Bab and Faerie killed."

"That was definitely bad," Erwin concurred. "Maybe we should run a simulation to show them all how we work together."

They left the control room and gathered the others together. "This may shock you, coming from me, but even I can work with a team better than you brats. Your teamwork isn't worth two shits," Levi told them harshly. "If you guys can't work as a team, you'll all be dead before we even get near Titan. Worse still, you'll get the rest of us killed with you. Bad enough you didn't listen to Ymir and Krista telling you not to all cluster together and walk out in the open, but you blindly attack the first enemy you see without any plan or backup."

"I clearly gave you all too much credit. I assumed you would all at least be smart enough to formulate a plan **_before_** waltzing in there. Erwin, Hange, Ymir, Krista and I are going to run this same simulation. I want all of you to watch from the observation deck to see how a team operates."

The dejected group went up to the observation deck as the five veterans set up to run the same simulation. "It's been a while since we've all practiced together," Ymir commented excitedly as she put her armband back on.

"I know, right?" Hange agreed. "The last time we did this was before we met Eren and company. Mike nearly . . ." They paused when they mentioned their fallen comrade. The others were also silent.

Finally, Levi spoke up. "Snap out of it. Let's show these brats how it's done."

The others looked on as the team below gathered around Erwin who held the printout with the mission parameters and was giving them their instructions. The group the silently broke up and set about their assigned tasks. The recruits were in awe of the efficiency of the veterans. The team worked in a way that played on the strengths of each of its members. A gasp of awe went up from the recruits when Levi suddenly dropped to a crouch, right hand on the ground and a glowing black magic circle appeared around him and Hange. How does black glow? Even Armin and Hange can't answer that question. Either way, rubber bullets bounced off of the invisible shield at the circle's perimeter. Fifteen minutes later, the mission was complete, and the simulation ended.

Levi flew up and landed on the railing of the observation deck. "That is how it's done," he told them. "You're going to run this simulation again, but this time you're going to pay attention to the advice of the veterans, you're going to listen to Armin when he tries to give you a strategy, and you're going to work together as a single unit, not as a bunch of untrained individuals. I've been teaching you how to observe your surroundings and how to fight. Use what you've learned."

The second run through was far from perfect, but at least the group succeeded, albeit after more than an hour. Two weeks later and they were successfully running much more difficult simulations with the entire team. The veterans corrected any mistakes made by the recruits. After Levi gave Jean a particularly hard dressing down for a mistake, Hange leaned in and whispered to Eren, "I think the little box of grumps needs to get laid tonight. Think you'll be up for it?"

Eren choked and his face immediately turned crimson. "How do you even know we're like that?!"

Hange winked at him. "He's my best friend. I know everything whether he tells me or not."

"And you're not upset about it? I mean . . . um . . . I mean I know you and Erwin are with him and all."

Hange laughed. "Why would I be upset that my best friend is in love? I mean, yeah, the sex was phenomenal, but we all knew it was just that; sex. Erwin and I still have each other. So, make sure my little box of grumps gets some tonight, okay?"

If Eren could have sunk through the floor in embarrassment, he would have.

* * *

Levi was perched in his favorite spot on the top of the Mitras Tower spire. He had created a portal from Site C to the heart of Mitras near the Mitras Tower. This was his third night on the streets, trying to stem the increasing tide of crime in the city. It had been quite the discussion with Erwin trying to convince the man to let him come out to at least try to make a dent in the criminal activity. Eventually, with a little help from a very convincing Hange, Erwin relented, knowing that Levi was probably the only person capable of taking on a Turncoat.

It had been nearly three months since the Scouts moved to Site C. Supers around the world were still dying at the hands of the Turncoat clones. Many Supers, heroes and villains alike, were in hiding. This had the side affect of non-Super crimes skyrocketing with no one to stop it. Police forces were ill prepared and overwhelmed by the sudden increase in criminal and gang activity. Mitras was currently under martial law with a 10pm curfew.

Funds were tight for the Scouts because none of them were working. They'd had to leave everything behind, including their jobs. Thanks to Sasha and himself hunting and foraging, food wasn't a desperate situation yet, but there were other problems, including ammunition, transportation and equipment that could not be replaced.

After just two nights of patrol, the jail was bursting at the seams with thieves, drug dealers and gangs that Levi had nabbed. _I'm surprised Titan isn't making a move on me. It's been two nights. I'm the only Super on the streets right now. Not even the Super villains are out. I was expecting a Turncoat clone to attack me the first night. What are they waiting for? Or are they waiting for others to get a false sense of security and come out of hiding? None of the clones have been spotted in the area for a few weeks. Maybe it's just taking time for one of them to get here. Maybe just one Super isn't enough to draw them . . . well speak of the devil!_

A commotion on top of the Reeves Trading skyscraper several blocks over caught Levi's attention both mentally and audibly. A quick flight brought him to where not one, but three clones had a young man surrounded. The man was only a little shorter than the Commander, with sandy-blond hair, dark blue eyes and all muscle. _That guy looks a little like Aegis, _Levi thought as he landed right in the middle of them all. "Real brave. Three against one," Levi deadpanned at the three women. "He must be pretty dangerous for three of you to take him on. Of course, I can't imagine it's too easy to use super hard armor against someone."

"Raven Knight," one of the clones sneered as if the name left a bad taste in her mouth. "We do want this one dead, but we're really here for you."

"I see. So, I'm the one you're so afraid of. Too bad for you, though, that three of you isn't going to be enough."

"Oh, shit! Shitshitshitshitshit!" The man behind him cursed as his armor began to form and harden. "I'm not doing this!"

Levi glanced over his shoulder, unconcerned. "Relax. Don't resist them. They can't hurt you with your power alone, and, unless you're as strong has Harbinger was, you can't hurt me either."

"I have Super strength, but nothing like The Commander," Aegis stated as he felt his body lunge and strike at Levi. The armor made Aegis impervious to bullets, impact and piercing, but it also made him slower and less agile. This meant that by the time his fist should have connected with Levi, the Super was no longer there. "You have no idea how trippy this feels. I have no control over my body right now."

"I know," Levi said as he hovered in the air, well out of reach. "What brought you out here in the first place?"

Aegis looked up at him with glowing yellow eyes. The man's jaw moved when he talked, but lacked flexibility, so Levi could only assume that the armor was not fused to the man's lips. "One of these bitches murdered my best friend and his wife," Aegis snarled with contempt.

"You mean Stretch and Whiteout."

"Yeah. Only their real names were Bertoldt Hoover and Annie Leonhart," Aegis replied. "I figured you should know in case I don't survive tonight."

"You won't be dying tonight unless you work for Titan," Levi assured him. He looked down at the clones. "Are you two constipated? You both look like you're trying to take a shit, but the shit won't come out."

"What's wrong?" the third clone demanded of her sisters. "Why is he still airborn?"

Levi rolled his eyes. "Because these wings are a part of my natural physiology, dipshit. No Super power involved. Let me show you another part of my physiology." He extended the retractable claws and dove at the clone controlling Aegis. She attempted to bring Aegis over to use as a shield and her two sisters also moved to protect her, but Levi was much too fast. Before anyone could fully react, the first clone's throat was torn open.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD! YOU KILLED MY SISTER!" one of the remaining clones shouted as she drew a pistol lunged at him in blind rage, Aegis all but forgotten.

Bullets bounced uselessly off his wings as he swept the right wing back, sending the clone flying. "How dare you get pissed at me," Levi snarled. "Don't act like you're the only one who feels pain when a loved one dies. You've all murdered countless men and women and left countless families and friends in mourning because of your senseless murders. So, you have no right to get pissed when someone puts a stop to your rampage. You pathetic copies have nothing on the real Turncoat. That woman was nothing short of impressive. She controlled not only others' Super powers, but she had the utmost self control as well. She never killed anyone; even though some certainly deserved death. She was a better hero that any of us will ever be."

Both clones let out enraged screams as they lunged at him again. "Too easy to piss you off," Levi observed as they charged. One of them jumped high in the air, having drawn a scimitar and brought it down swiftly. She wasn't fast enough. She spat out blood, a shocked look on her face, still not fully aware of what had just happened as the sword clattered to the rooftop. Levi had shifted his position just enough to avoid being struck and had thrust one of his daggers into her heart as she had descended on him. He wasn't concerned about where the last one was.

Having flown into a blind rage, both clones had forgotten Aegis. As she had lunged at Levi, screaming, Aegis slammed both of his armored fists down on the nape of her neck with all his might as she passed him.

"Disgusting," Levi muttered as he cleaned the blood from his dagger. He then glanced around the rooftop and the surrounding buildings. "You should tell your bosses that the clones have failed. They're not smart enough or strong enough for the job. Too emotional. Next time send more. I'll be waiting."

Aegis let his armor evaporate with a sigh. "Good to have my body back," he said with a grin. That grin faded quickly though, when Levi strode purposefully over and placed his hands on either side of the larger man's head. "Um . . ."

Moments later, Levi pulled back. "I'm sorry. But I needed to be sure you weren't with Titan, either willingly or unknowingly."

Poor Aegis just looked thoroughly confused. "I just read your mind, Reiner Braun; went through all of your memories."

Reiner looked surprised, but eventually shrugged it off with a grin. "Okay. That's cool. Nice to know they haven't gotten into my head or brainwashed me or nothin', cuz then I'd be even more pissed at 'em."

Levi raised an eyebrow. "So, Titan invading your mind pisses you off, but my invading your mind doesn't? Because it would sure piss me off if someone did that to me. That's why I swore I'd never do that without that person's permission. But with things being as they are . . ."

"I get it, man. You gotta be sure of who your allies are." Reiner extended a large, open hand. "As you know, I'm Reiner Braun; aka Aegis."

Levi accepted the handshake. "I'll give you my real name later. For now, Raven will do. What are you doing out here? Every other Super is in hiding right now."

"I've been wanting to get in touch with the Scouting Regiment. When I got wind of Raven Knight being out on the streets cleaning up, I had to come out to talk to you."

"Fine. But not here. Too many ears." Levi headed over to a maintenance door and went inside the building. Reiner followed him down four flights of stairs. Levi stopped on the landing, and opened a portal to the underground safehouse he, Eren and Jean had used months ago. He grabbed a startled Reiner by the shirtfront and dragged him through.

"Woah-ho-ho! That was so cool!" Reiner exclaimed. "How'd you do that?"

"Magic," Levi said blandly, tired of always being asked that.

"Ha ha, funny. Seriously though . . ."

"Seriously. I use magic. That's why those damn clones can't control me. All of my so-called powers are either a natural part of my biology or are pure magic. I have no true Super powers."

"**_Way_** cool!" Reiner said in awe.

"You don't need to pretend that you're fine. I can feel your emotions, remember?" Levi told him.

The young Super's shoulders slumped, and his smile vanished. "Yeah. Sorry. Force of habit. Gotta pretend I'm not madder than hell and grieving my best friends. Couldn't get close to Titan if they knew I was holding a grudge against them."

Levi raised a slender eyebrow. "You got near Titan?"

"As close as I could. Damn. I mean, talk about eyes and ears everywhere! They got their fingers in everything! I got this friend who's a crazy awesome tech wizard and hacker, and he found Titan's influence in every one of the world's top 50 corporations! Crazy, right?"

"We already know that."

"Okay, so what my buddy found was that the connections Titan has is like this really intricate spider's web and all the threads lead back to Wellington Technologies. I mean **_everything_** leads back to Wellington. He said that most of the top officers of the top 50 companies are directly connected to Titan. He also tracked funds and expenditures of these companies and found that billions of dollars are funneled each year through Wellington Tech and into some kind of research facility called YMIR. Creepy thing is, that even my buddy couldn't find out anything about YMIR other than the fact that the only point of contact is Zeke Ghallioht who just happens to be Marley Wellington's personal assistant. In fact, Zeke Ghallioht's name came up a lot in my buddy's research. I have a hard drive with me with everything he found. But here's why I wanted to talk to the Scouts so bad; every year, all of the execs of the top 50 companies that have ties to Titan hold a conference in Utopia. That conference is next month. Three weeks from tomorrow to be exact. My buddy said evidence suggests that YMIR is in Utopia as well. If we can hit Titan during that conference, we could bring it down!"

Levi's bored expression betrayed nothing of what he was thinking. "Color me impressed. I don't think you took a single breath during that entire spiel." Reiner's jaw dropped as if to say, 'That's all you got out of that?' until Levi continued. "First of all, your friend is in danger. We need to get to them before Titan can. I can assure you they are very aware of the intrusion."

"We know," Reiner replied. "He's waiting for me in the basement of the old Paradise Apartments."

Levi immediately turned and opened a portal to the abandoned apartment complex. "We'll grab him first, then return to headquarters."

The portal brought them to the middle of the abandoned underground parking garage of the Paradise Apartment complex. Twenty years ago, these apartments had been the height of luxury. A downturn in the economy that only lasted three years was enough to leave the complex abandoned fifteen years ago to slowly decay. Reiner led the way to a series of storage units below the apartment building. He cautiously entered one of the units where a young man with dark hair and freckles was typing away furiously at a laptop, pink tongue peeking out the corner of his lips and brow furrowed in concentration.

"Daniel Bodt's boy," Levi said, recognizing the young man he'd met at Brigade all those years ago during the hostage situation. "I should have known. Still a whiz with technology, I see."

The young man looked up in surprise but immediately smiled in recognition. "I remember you! You're the one who defeated Argos and Digit when they tried to steal Brigade's database!" he said as he stood and came over to shake Levi's hand. "It's Raven Knight, right?"

Levi nodded and shook the man's extended hand. "Yes. And I had help from T-Bab and Faerie back then." As soon has he had the young man's hand in his, he locked gazes with him and began to scan his mind. _Wow. Never knew anyone could be this genuinely nice. Seriously, who is this constantly positive and upbeat? All he wants to do is help. But he's got courage. This whole Titan thing has him scared shitless, but he's helping anyway. He can also fight if he needs to. Not bad. Thank God Titan hasn't gotten hold of him!_ "Good. You're clear."

He looked confused. "I am?"

Reiner clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Relax, Marco. He just means he read your mind to make sure you weren't working for Titan and hadn't been brainwashed by them."

Marco paled. "He read my mind?"

"I'm sorry," Levi apologized. "I don't like invading people's privacy like that, but right now, with Titan on the rampage, it the only way I can be sure if someone is working for them or not."

Marco frowned. "Yeah. I get that," he agreed. "They're everywhere. I mean, I can't walk down the street without wondering how many of the people I see are with Titan in some way. It's really scary."

"No shit. But it still makes me sick to do it without permission like that. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Marco insisted with a kind smile. "I understand completely. In your shoes I'd do the same thing."

"Doesn't make it right," Levi mumbled. "Listen, I'm going to go back to headquarters real quick to pick up Codex. They can scan all your tech to verify that Titan hasn't infected it or traced it in any way. They can also check both of you for bugs and tracers." He opened a portal and stepped through before either could answer.

Everyone in the common room looked up in surprise when Levi stepped out of a portal, grabbed the nearest trash can and began dry heaving. Eren and Hange were both at his side in an instant, rubbing his back until he calmed. "What happened?" Eren asked.

"You killed someone, didn't you?" Hange guessed.

"And I just read two minds without permission," Levi added in a voice strained from heaving. He took a few deep breaths. "Hange, I need you to come with me for a few minutes. I have a couple of allies to bring back, but they have a laptop and a hard drive with valuable information about Titan and I need you to scan them."

Hange nodded quickly. "Okay."

Levi opened a portal back to Paradise Apartments. "Three of the Turncoat clones are dead," he told everyone before he stepped back through.

Ten minutes later, Levi and Hange returned with Reiner and Marco in tow. "Marco! Reiner!" Eren and Jean exclaimed almost simultaneously. This was followed by an ecstatic, "REIN-DEER!" from Sasha. The two newcomers were surrounded by Eren, Armin, Mikasa, Sasha and Jean.

Hange giggled. "They all go to uni together."

Levi cleared his throat to get everyone's attention once he noticed Erwin, Krista and Ymir enter the room. "So clearly you lot all know each other from school, but for us old-timers, the newbies are Marco Bodt and Reiner Braun aka Aegis. My name is Levi aka Raven Knight."

"I'm Hange Zoe aka Codex."

"Erwin Smith aka The Commander."

"Hi. I'm Krista Lenz, but you know me as Faerie."

"Call me Ymir. I'm T-BAB. That's Totally Bad Ass Bitch for those who don't know."

"I'm called Huntress."

"Levi calls me She-Wolf. I like it, so I'm keeping it."

"I'm Northwind."

"Aka Horseface."

"Eren! That's not nice!" Armin chided.

"Yeah, Eren, aka Suicidal Bastard."

"Wow. Can you feel the love tonight?" Ymir asked sarcastically.

Levi shook his head and looked to Erwin and Hange. "Marco and Reiner have been tracking down Titan. I know Marco is a tech genius, but he's also a brilliant hacker according to Reiner. If what you find on Marco's laptop and hard drive proves even half of what Reiner told me about Titan, then we are insanely lucky. This will be the biggest break we've ever had," Levi's excitement died suddenly. "Thing is, knowing Titan as we do, we'd be fools to assume they don't realize that they've been hacked. The fact that they never found Reiner and Marco seems too good to be true."

"Which means it probably is," Hange surmised. "But they just tried to kill both you and Reiner."

"It was too easy," Levi replied. "My gut is telling me that once Titan caught on to Marco and Reiner, they made sure they found out about the conference in Utopia to draw as many Supers out as possible."

"The Global Business Conference in Utopia is a meeting for Titan?" Erwin questioned.

"According to what Reiner told me, yes. Kind of explains why you and Shadis were never invited to those things," Levi answered. "They're either going to move the conference, postpone the conference, or hope that Marco and Reiner told other Supers so they can lure us all into their trap. Thing is, scanning their minds can't tell me if Titan is feeding them false information or not. It just tells me if Titan has brainwashed or manipulated a mind somehow."

"And here's another tidbit," Levi continued. "They have a company in Utopia that all of Titan's funds get funneled to called YMIR."

"YMIR?" both Hange and Erwin parroted.

"I know. Crazy coincidence. Sounds like that may be where they do all of their research and bio-engineering." Levi surmised. "If I remember correctly, Ymir is another name for the Norse god Aurgelmir. Or rather, the first being. Something about being created where ice and fire meet and being the father of all giants and some weird ass shit about a man and woman grow under his arm and six headed son from his leg; gross. Then this cow who fed him milk licked salt stones that became Odin's grandfather or some shit like that. Gotta wonder what they were on when they came up with these stories."

Erwin and Hange both looked at him in a mixture of awe and surprise. "Wow, Levi. Where did you learn all of that?" Hange asked.

"I don't have a real job," Levi explained. "So, the only thing I could do with my spare time was go through Eyebrows' library. Read damn near every book in it, including the one about Norse mythology. Thing is, the myth kind of fits in with what Titan is trying to do. They're trying to create gods, and they're likely doing it at a facility in Utopia."

"Which means all of the missing doctors and scientist could be there as well," Erwin added. "But like you said, the odds of Titan being unaware that we have this information are pretty much zero. We'll have to proceed under the assumption that this is a trap."

Hange was already delving into the hard drive that Marco had provided. Their eyes widened with combined excitement and awe. "Holy mother of Sina!" they exclaimed. "Titan may know we have information on them and that we know about the conference, but I seriously doubt they know we have all of this!"

"What is it?" Erwin asked, rushing to look over Hange's shoulder.

"This is information even I couldn't access with my powers," Hange explained. "The firewalls were too strong. Marco is absolutely amazing! And what Levi told us is correct; all funds lead back to Zeke and to YMIR. The funds come in from literally all over the world! This is gonna take me a couple of days to go through. HEY, MARCO!" Hange called excitedly. "COME OVER HERE AND BRING YOUR LAPTOP AND BIG BEAUTIFUL BRAIN!"

Levi tugged on Erwin's elbow. "C'mon. Let's go. There'll be no communicating with them until they're done and come to us."

"I'll stay here and watch. I've been waiting forever to get this information!" Erwin responded.

Levi shook his head and walked over to the others, mumbling, "I'll wait for the summary." As he approached the sitting area, he addressed Armin. "You better go over and join the Geek Squad. Your insights will be valuable."

Armin got up to hurry over to Hange's workstation. "Um, okay. Thanks."

"So, what are the rest of us gonna do?" Ymir asked.

"Actually, I have a couple of questions for you," Levi started. "We are already well aware that you have nothing to do with Titan, and I, at least, know that you grew up in foster care. Do you know anything at all about your real parents?"

Ymir frowned in concentration. "Not really. I never knew them. Hell, I don't even have a real birth certificate! The government had one created when I entered the system at about a year old. I was just deposited at a church on night. Police never found who left me there. Don't even know what my real date of birth is, for that matter. They just chose a year before the date I was found. How messed up is that, right?"

"How did they choose your name?" Levi asked.

"My onesie that had a strange Norse style face on it and YMIR in big letters when I was dropped at the church."

Levi smirked. "Did you know that you're named for the First Being in Norse mythology?"

"No. But that's really cool!"

"Not so much. They killed him and made the earth from his body and the seas from blood," Levi retorted.

"Gross!" Krista chimed in.

"Kinda explains why the oceans are so salty," Eren added.

"Double gross!" Krista's nose wrinkled in disgust.

"The reason I'm asking is because we've found out that Titan is funneling money through Wellington via Zeke Gaillioht into a hidden company called YMIR."

"Wow! That's weird," Ymir said. Then she frowned.

"Next question," Levi continued. "When did you first notice your Super power?"

"I've always been able to do that. Since I can remember. Totally freaked out the nuns at the church," Ymir answered with a chuckle. "Why?"

"Because based on what we know of Titan's experiments, it's entirely possible that you were stolen from YMIR and left at the church by someone; possibly one of your parents. I'm thinking it's possible that you were the result of one of the early experiments, which would mean that the Turncoat clones would have no affect on you." Levi stood and motioned Ymir to follow him over to Hange's workstation. "Marco, pull up that logo for YMIR that you found."

Marco did as instructed, then turned the laptop for the others to see.

Ymir's eyes widened. "That's the face! I held on to that onesie for years hoping I'd be able to find my parents. Kinda gave up when I was a teenager, though. Think I lost it changing foster homes."

"Wait. What? You know this logo?" Hange asked.

Both Ymir and Levi rolled their eyes as they relayed Ymir's story and Levi's theory a second time. They hadn't even finished before Hange was rolling up Ymir's sleeve and swabbing it down preparing to draw blood. "I'll compare it to what I know of other known Titan DNA experiments and to Eren's DNA."

A sadistic smile spread slowly across Ymir's face. "Kinda poetic justice if your theory turns out to be fact. One of Titan's own experiments coming back to destroy them."

"Yeah," Eren agreed. "It's up to us to avenge all those who've been destroyed by those experiments and by Titan in general."

"Down, boy," Levi chastised. "Save that anger for the actual battle. We don't even know how we're going to go about this yet."

"Besides, Eren, you will be staying here where it's safe," Erwin said.

"What?! Why? This is my fight too!" Eren yelped.

"I agree with Eren. The Fates told me that we can't take Titan down without Eren," Levi stated. "Furthermore, his rapid healing and immortality are a trump card we may need."

"And what do we do if Titan gets ahold of him?" Erwin challenged.

Levi deadpanned. "If we fail, it won't matter. They'll get ahold of him anyway. It's only fair that he be allowed to fight alongside us for his freedom. Especially since I went to all the trouble of training him to fight. He's not the useless college brat we saved from a filthy attic nearly a year ago. He can hold his own against Titan, I assure you."

"I'll think about it."

"No, Erwin. He's a part of this and he's coming. I'm not going up against Titan without him. We can't win without him."

"You trust the Fates that much?"

"Of course, I do. I've known them for countless lifetimes. They don't always give you all the details you want, but they never lie."

Erwin sighed. "Very well then."


	33. Chapter 33

Fall of Titan

It was early morning of day two of the Titan conference in Utopia. The entire Scouting Regiment was currently waiting, hidden just within the tree line on a mountain thirty miles away. Codex and Marco ware watching activity in the town below via multiple overhead satellites. They had been able to pinpoint YMIR nearly a week ago, thanks to the always observant Sasha. It was she who'd noticed vehicles and people disappearing at then end of a road that seemed to dead end at a mountain base. Satellite imaging combined with Marco's phenomenal hacking skills got them the layout of the YMIR facility. _Like father, like son,_ Levi though as he watched Marco concentrating on his laptop. _He may not have any Super powers, but his brain more than makes up for that._

Everyone was on edge, ready to move at a moment's notice. They would be striking in broad daylight once all of the conference attendees arrived at YMIR to tour the facility. According to what Marco and Hange had been able to discover, Titan had made some kind of major breakthrough that they wanted to show of to its most affluent members.

"This is definitely a trap," Huntress said quietly as she viewed the town of Utopia from the safety of the trees.

"I agree," Levi responded. "My bet is that they're planning on wiping us out when we get in there and then taking Eren."

Codex looked up from their laptop. "Hey Raven, remember that military helicopter that took off before 'the ass crack of dawn'?" they asked, making hand quotes in the air and mocking Levi's voice.

"What about it?"

"I think I know where it went. Just got a break-in signal from Site C. Bet you're 100% right about them thinking they were going to be grabbing Eren."

"Shit. Glad we brought Eren with us now, Eyebrows?"

"I am," The Commander confirmed. "Also, glad we decided to burn Site C. It's too bad to lose the training facility though."

"There is no backup headquarters, so we better make good on this attack. We're shit outta luck if we fail," Levi observed.

"True that," Commander agreed. "Now Titan is stumped as to why Eren wasn't at Site C. I'm hoping they believe that we'd never be foolish enough to bring him with us, but we'll proceed as if they know he's here. From here on, Eren is now to be called, Rogue. Marco will be Finder and Armin will be Deviser."

Eren, Marco and Armin had all been given Scout uniforms and masks, enabling the three to blend in with the Supers. Reiner had also been given a uniform since he was now considered a member of the Scouts and had done very well in the last two weeks of training. All Scouts were equipped with an in-ear communicator and tracker that Marco had designed with a signal that was undetectable and resistant to jamming and EMPs. He had explained how they worked, but Hange was the only person that could make heads or tails of what was pure gibberish to everyone else.

Levi had spent the past week working on creating multiple portals to multiple locations at once. It hadn't taken him long to get the hang of it. Having memorized the layout of the facility they would be raiding, he was confident about creating five portals into YMIR at once. Finder & Deviser would remain at their current location keeping track of the others' whereabouts and guiding them through the facility from a safe distance.

Codex, teamed up with Aegis, would be disabling the security and communication systems. Then, with Finder's remote help, they would fry all of the computer servers in the facility and, if possible, all Titan offsite computers that were connected to it. Three teams of two would be creating distractions at critical locations within the facility. The Commander and She-Wolf would be destroying the YMIR's primary power generator. Northwind and Huntress would be attacking the primary research laboratory. T-BAB and Faerie would be attacking the what Codex had dubbed "The Clone Room".

Raven and Rogue would be investigating a room that showed up only on seismograph imaging as a hollow space with a strange energy signature that was only detectable by satellite. It was Codex that found the energy signature, and Rogue and Deviser had come up with the idea of using seismometer readings to locate the open space. "You see," Rogue had explained. "Seismic waves travel at different speeds depending on what material they are travelling through. For instance, they travel through solid rock faster than through magma. It's a method that scientists use to measure the size of super volcanic magma chambers and even to see the inside of the planet. The waves travel even slower through air."

It had taken a considerable amount of doing, including Levi and Codex placing sixty seismometers around the mountain and Utopia valley, but a large empty space was detected in the same location as the energy source. Seismic measurements were accurate enough to give them the dimensions and basic shape of the space. Levi planned on entering at the very edge and hoping no one would be there to see. The problem lay in that they had no way of knowing what they would find. They were going on Commander's and Raven's gut instincts that it was something very important.

A steady stream of vehicles was now arriving and disappearing into the mountain. Levi mentally scanned each vehicle. "I'm a little surprised. I half expected a bunch of empty cars and busses to be showing up, but all of them are fully occupied. I'm getting no sense of military personnel or anything. It just seems like ordinary people. They don't seem to be aware of this being a trap. That doesn't mean that Titan isn't still using them as bait without them being aware. I'm getting a lot of subdued excitement from all of them. Something big is definitely happening."

"Good. Just remember, this could still be a trap," Erwin reminded.

Soon the flow of traffic entering the mountain all but ceased entirely. They waited another hour. Attacking in broad daylight would be an unexpected move in most cases, but at the same time, attacking at this time when all of Titan's heads were in the research facility seemed like an obvious tactic. They could only hope that knowing this was likely a trap gave them an advantage.

"Alright, everyone. Let's go. Communicate as soon as you are in and are able," The Commander instructed.

"Yes, sir!" most of the Scouts replied.

Raven held out both hands, palms facing forward and concentrated. Five portals appeared in front of them. He had finally figured out how to create portals without the bright flash, and so, hoped that it would make entry into YMIR a little less noticeable. The portals only appeared as distortions in the air. He waited until everyone else was through before stepping through his own with Rogue and collapsing all five behind him.

Raven dropped into an immediate crouch, Rogue beside him, both scanning the area around them. Both men were shocked by what they saw. They were at the very edge of a massive cavern that was made entirely of a strange, luminous crystal. The entire cavern was brightly lit from the crystal alone. There were massive crystal pillars throughout holding up the roof. The sheer enormity of the space alone was enough to be jaw dropping.

Check-ins began coming through on the comms. Raven raised his hand to his ear, about to respond, but hesitated. Fearing the acoustics of the cavern carrying even a whisper to anyone who may be present, he checked in Telepathically to Deviser and Finder. **_ Let the others know that Raven and Rogue are in._**

**"Raven and Rogue just checked in," **came Deviser's response over the comm.

**_Listen, Rogue. I'm no expert, but the size and material of this cavern look like sound would really carry. We could drop a pin here and be heard by someone on the far side. We'll have to communicate telepathically and be absolutely silent._** Levi had no sooner finished when the sound of quiet voices echoing through the cavern from somewhere beyond their line of sight confirmed what he feared.

Rogue nodded in acknowledgement. **_I don't have Super hearing and even I heard those voices._**

Raven scanned the area, contemplating how to proceed. **_Codex would flip their shit if they saw this place! _**He cocked his head, trying to listen.**_ The acoustics are messing with my hearing. I can't tell exactly where those voices are coming from or even how far away they are. For now, let's stick together and move along the wall to our left. We'll use the pillars as cover._**

Again, Rogue nodded in acknowledgement. They moved silently along the wall, keeping as low as they could. Then came the call they were all afraid of. "**We've got a problem,**" came Codex's hushed voice. "**There's two Turncoats in here.**"

"**Four at my location,**" Faerie whispered.

"**Four at our location, too,**" Northwind added.

"**Two here,**" the Commander said quietly.

Raven scowled in irritation. **_Listen up, everyone, _**he told everyone telepathically.**_ Here's what we're gonna do. The Commander planned for this. Everyone sit tight and stay out of sight. Rogue and I are gonna portal to the control room and take out the two clones there. Once Codex has disabled security and communications, I'll send Deviser to take out the two clones at the Commander's location. Rogue will go to take out the four at Faerie and T-Bab's location and I'll take the four at Northwind and She-Wolf's location. We'll then return to the original plan._**

"**Right,**" came multiple hushed responses.

Raven glanced at Rogue, who nodded that he was ready. Raven then created a portal to where Codex and Aegis were just outside the control room. Now in a place where acoustics wouldn't project his voice he spoke quietly into the transmitter. "**Remember; shoot to kill. There are millions of innocent lives depending on the outcome of this battle, so we can't afford the luxury of sparing a few Titan lives. Titan is sure as hell not gonna spare any of our lives if given the chance.**"

He spoke to Rogue as he checked the silencer on his gun. "Listen, this isn't going to be easy for you. I'll do this alone if you feel you can't."

"I don't want to kill. But if it means sparing the lives of everyone else in the world . . . then I'll just have to get my hands dirty," Rogue replied sadly. "I said I'd kill all of the Titans if I have to and I meant it."

"Alright, then. Let's go."

Codex nodded curtly before placing their hand on the panel next to the door, triggering it to open with their power. Raven and Rogue stepped quickly into the room and shot everyone they saw. The two Turncoat clones never even had a chance to fathom what was happening before two bullets ended each of their lives. Raven immediately felt the familiar roll of nausea but ignored it as best he could in favor of completing his mission.

Rogue heaved once in his mouth but managed to keep everything in as Codex and Aegis entered the room and Codex set immediately to work.

Finder's voice came over the comm a few seconds later. "**I've hacked the server. Based on the files, there were only fifteen Turncoat clones. With the two just killed now and the three Raven killed the other night, that leaves just the ten.**"

"**Alright, I've sent a burn virus to all computers connected to this control room**," Codex informed gleefully. "**There's gonna be a few major corporations going down hard in the next hour."**

"**Thanks, Finder. You too, Codex. Deviser, you ready?**" Raven asked.

"**Yes, sir.**"

"**I'm sending you to take out the two clones at the Commander and She-Wolf's location. Rogue will take out the four at Faerie and T-BAB's location. I'm going to take out the four at Northwind and Huntress's location. Everyone ready?**" After a hushed chorus of "**Yes, sir**", he opened three portals, two from his location and one from Deviser's location. "**Let's go,**" Raven ordered.

Rogue disappeared through the portal that Raven directed him to, and Raven disappeared through his own portal. Raven came out in the very center of a truly massive laboratory. It was vaguely reminiscent of the greenhouse where Titan had grown the Nightshade Lilies a few years back. There were several long rows of workstations loaded with equipment, computers, paper, test tubes and vials of unknown substances.

Raven immediately found and targeted the Turncoat clones along with more than twenty armed guards. Because of the silencer on the gun and Raven's speed, two clones and eight guards were shot dead before anyone on the room realized what was happening. Most of the people, presumably scientists and assistants, dropped to hide behind or under their workstations with a number of frightened shrieks and screams. There were still over a dozen armed guards in the room who opened fire on the intruder that appeared out of nowhere.

Said intruder dropped to a crouch on one of the workstations and place his right hand, palm down, on the surface. An ornate dark cobalt, almost black circle appeared around him and the onslaught of bullets ricocheted off an invisible surface, shattering glass and equipment throughout the room. The energy from the impacts was being absorbed by the shield, causing it to gradually become visible. Raven had an almost sadistic smirk on his face as the pointless onslaught continued.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TWO WAITING FOR?!" one of the guards shouted at the clones. "NEUTRALLIZE THIS BASTARD! THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE HERE FOR!"

"He's not responding!" one of the clones replied, sounding slightly panicked.

"We can't get control of him! What is he?" the other added.

"Your worst nightmare," Raven replied calmly. In spite of the deafening sound of gunfire, his voice was still heard clearly by all in the room. "You see, I'm not really a Super; I'm just not entirely human. You half-ass clones can only control Super powers, not normal genetic traits. More importantly, you can't control magic, which is what I'm using. And while you've all been wasting your bullets on my shield while I chatter away here, I've been gathering and amplifying all of the energy and malice from your attacks against the shield, to use against you . . . like this."

The now clearly visible, though transparent shield seemed to collapse in on the winged hero, but then suddenly exploded outward in a spherical shockwave that blasted through the room. Everyone and everything except Raven and the workstation he was crouched on was suddenly slammed back into the walls. The two clones hadn't even hit the floor yet when Raven put two bullets between each of their eyes. His stomach rolled threateningly, in spite of his not having eaten in over twenty hours, as he snapped his fingers, igniting a spark that he used to set the room ablaze.

"**Research lab clear**," he spoke into the comm as he left the burning room to meet with the stunned Northwind and Huntress who'd been watching from the hall.

"**Generator room clear**," came Deviser's shaky voice over the comm.

"**Clone room clear . . . but you really need to see this**," Rogue finally said.

Suddenly the lights went out. "**Generator's down for good. Everyone converge on the Clone room**." The Commander ordered.

Raven again created portals from each team's location to the Clone room. The room was nearly as big as the cavern below where he'd originally entered the facility. The room was dimly lit from the dark blue glow from hundreds of vertical cylinders where humanoid forms floated in a clear fluid, tubes and wires connected to their bodies. The bodies were significantly larger than most humans and some of them seemed deformed and disproportioned. The ones that looked near perfect were in the cylinders that were clearly working with fluid and bubbles circulating. The deformed ones were in cylinders that were dark and still. "Mother of Sina," Raven breathed in horror.

"This room still has power," Codex noted as they placed their hand on one of the lit computer displays beside one of the functioning cylinders. Their voice betrayed how disturbed they were. "Titan is nothing but an organization of monsters to do this to any human being," they said quietly, anger building in their voice. "This room has a separate power source. Can't tell what it is, though. What I can tell you is that these poor creatures in the working tanks are the 'pinnacle' of humanities 'former glory' according to the computer." The looked up at the androgynous form in the cylinder. "Sick bastards," they hissed.

"This room is directly above the cavern Raven and I entered," Rogue stated. "It's a massive cavern of luminous crystal. That may be where this room's power is coming from."

Finder's eyes widened. "The Book of Titan . . . that cavern must be the Hall of Light that was spoken of! It was supposed to be the source of the goddess' power."

"There were people down there," Rogue said. "We never got close enough to see who or how many, but we heard them talking."

"Alright, everyone. Listen up," the Commander ordered. "This is where we'll create a distraction to draw all of Titan's forces to one spot. Codex, are these beings alive?"

"Yes. All of them. Even the ones in the dark tanks."

The Commander sighed unhappily. "I'm afraid we still have to destroy them all. We can't allow these . . . people to leave here alive. They'd never be able to live a normal life, and for all we know, they've been programed by Titan."

Raven, oblivious to the conversation, had been standing with his hand against one of the cylinders staring up at the being within since entering the room. "It's not alive."

"I beg your pardon?" the Commander questioned.

Raven startled, suddenly aware that he wasn't alone. "They're not alive. The bodies may be functioning, but there's no soul; no emotion or feelings or thoughts of any kind. Titan may think they have the perfect human here, but without a soul, it's nothing more than an amalgamation of flesh and bone." He glanced down at the writing on a placard on the cylinder. "Raymond Thompson; whoever he was, whether he was a willing volunteer or not, he died when Titan did this to him."

The Scouts all stood in shocked, horrified silence. Raven could feel the rage radiating from Rogue, who stood beside him. He turned to look at the younger and noticed that his usually ocean-green eyes were now golden and glowing faintly, much like his own silver eyes glowed. "Bastards," Rogue hissed.

"Alright then," the Commander began. "Raven and Rogue will return to the Hall of Light to find out who is down there and put a stop to them. I suspect it will be the heads of Titan. The rest of us will remain in here. We're going to destroy everything in here. That should be sufficient to draw a large portion of Titan's forces to us. We will engage them here and keep them distracted while Raven and Rogue complete their mission."

"Raven. Rogue. Before you go," Codex half whispered. "There are five tanks that are empty. In case you run into one of these, there is only one way to truly kill them. These things have the ability to regenerate limbs just like Eren does, but the one thing they lack is true immortality. If you sever the nape where the cervical and lumber meet, they won't be able to regenerate and will die."

With a curt nod of thanks, Raven created a portal to the spot where he and Rogue had first entered the cavern what seemed like hours ago. The two men began to immediately follow the same route they had before. Rogue looked a little confused. **_Is that chanting I'm hearing?_** he mentally asked Raven.

The both paused to listen. A single man's voice cried out in a loud monotone, "Our goddess will deliver our enemies to us this day!"

A crowd of monotone voices responded, "Praise to Ymir, goddess of might!"

"We will regain our former glory and take our place among the gods!" the single voice cried.

"Praise to Ymir, goddess of light!" the crowd replied.

"The Coordinate of the perfected Staircase will be given to us!"

"Praise to Ymir, goddess of life!"

Raven rolled his eyes. **_This is like listening to a scene straight out of a B rated horror movie._**

**_Yeah, only it's scarier because it's real. Do they really believe all that bullshit?_**

**_I'm afraid so. Most of them anyway. We need to get a visual and find out how many there are._**

It took them the better part of fifteen minutes to cross the cavern to get close enough to see the people gathered in front of a large platform of crystal against the wall that was twenty feet high and nearly as wide and had a set of stairs carved on both sides. At the back of the platform was what looked like a throne, upon which was seated a white haired and bearded skeleton, dressed in royal robes and a crown. Standing atop the platform was Zeke Ghallioht, but in front of him was, to Rogue's complete horror, a man that looked like an older version of his father.

The older man gestured the skeleton on the throne behind him. "Today, Alexander Harrington will bear witness to the fulfillment of his great prophecy!"

**_That must be Dad's brother,_** Rogue told Raven. **_His voice is too high pitched and rough to be Dad's. I guess this means Dad really is dead._**

**_"Focus, Rogue. I'm glad he's not your father, but even if he were, it wouldn't change what we need to do here, _**Raven replied. **_Looks like about fifty people and only ten bodyguards. We should . . . shit! Look just in front of that pillar to our right._**

Rouge leaned back slightly to see what had Raven so surprised. His eyes widened in horror as he spotted a ten to fifteen-foot tall human. It was alive, or at least breathing. From where the two men stood, the device just below and behind its ear was clearly visible in spite of the long, stringy hair hanging near it. It was impossible to tell if it was male or female.

**_It's one of those things Codex warned us about. It's just like the one in the lab above us. It has no soul,_** Raven explained. **_That devise behind its ear must be how they make it move. It's nothing more than a puppet. We still don't want to underestimate it. There's one on the other side too. Maybe even in front of this pillar we're behind. According to Codex, there should be five total._**

**_So, what are we going to do?_** Rogue asked.

Raven grit his teeth as he tried to think up a plan of attack. **_Walk into the trap. Take out the obvious guards first and confront Zeke and Freak. No doubt they'll have those monsters attack. I'll leave those to you. Remember that the only way to kill one is to sever the nape. You'll need that fancy long-knife the Commander gave you. Guns will be useless against those fugly things._**

Rogue took in a slow, deep breath and let it out slowly again. **_Right. Let's do this._**

Raven smirked faintly with pride at the younger man. **_Follow my lead and be ready to take out those things. Use everything we've taught you._** With those thoughts, Raven stepped out from behind the column and strode confidently to the front of the crowd with Rogue behind him, both men shooting eleven armed guards as they went. Even with the silencers still on the guns, the sound echoed obviously throughout the cavern.

The crowd all ducked and covered in fear, but the two Zekes regarded the intruders calmly from where they stood. "Welcome, Raven Knight!" The elder Zeke called with deceptively friendly smile on his face. "And I see you brought a friend. Let me guess . . . Golden Eye!"

"Rogue," Raven answered flatly.

The elder Zeke's friendly smile never waivered. "It doesn't matter, really. You'll both be dying today anyways. My nephew with his glorious immortality will be in our hands presently and humanity's glorious return to godhood will be at long last, complete."

Raven raised an elegant eyebrow. "Do you mean the chopper that left here before dawn? They've already arrived at and broken into our headquarters. Needless to say, we had a number of sensors throughout the facility to alert us to intruders." He snapped his fingers as if he'd just remembered something. "Oh, that's right! You don't know yet. You haven't been notified of the communications outage. They found our base completely empty." Raven laughed humorlessly at the surprised look on the faces of the men above him. "Did you really think we'd be stupid enough to leave him in the first place you assholes would look?"

The shock wore of quickly and the disquieting smile returned to the elder Zeke's face. "No matter. It's only a matter of time before we find the Prophet. And then we will have Eren Jaeger."

"And what, exactly, does the Prophet have to do with Eren?"

Zeke laughed. "Don't be coy, my friend! We all know that the Prophet's hiding place is the only place we've been unable to find. It's the obvious place to look for my nephew."

Levi smirked deviously. "Like you said, 'No matter'. By the end of this, Titan will be no more, and you will be dead with nothing but a pile of dry old bones on throne to mourn your passing."

The elder Zeke laughed heartily. "You underestimate us, Raven Knight. One would think that after all these years of Titan always being five steps ahead of you that the Scouting Regiment would know better."

"Perhaps it is you who underestimates us," Raven countered, his silver eyes beginning to glow a little brighter, with shimmering flecks of lavender and pale blue light mixed in.

It was then that the two giants that they'd spotted earlier, along three more they hadn't seen began to move. The crowd of people ran for the walls to get out of the way. Rogue sprang immediately into action. _Just remember everything Levi taught you, _he told himself. His eyes glowed brighter as he moved to attack, a frightening, almost demonic grin on his face.

Trusting Rogue to be able to handle himself, Raven flew up to where the two Zekes were. "This ends now," he stated as he strode towards the two men.

"Not so fast, Raven Knight," the elder Zeke said. "We still have an ace up our sleeve."

There was a loud gasp from below when one of the giants fell to the floor and began to evaporate. "So do we," Raven said. "Rogue is just of them. I'm the other one."

"My other dear nephew is ours," the elder Zeke stated proudly. "Show our friend here what you can do."

Zeke Ghallioht stepped forward. "You can't kill me, Raven Knight, or should I say, Levi Ackerman?"

"You can call me Asshole for all I care," Raven retaliated. "And I **_will_** kill you."

Ghallioht laughed. "Don't be so sure." Even as a second giant fell beneath Rogue's blade, Zeke's body grew to at least fifteen feet and much, **_much_** hairier before Raven's eyes. The man's clothing tore and fell away as he outgrew it. His eyes grew dark and monstrous and his arms grew in length to almost reach his mid-calf. "You see, I am the perfect human being. All I need is the key from my half-brother's DNA and I will be the first human to return to glory!"

Raven looked thoroughly unimpressed. "So, you look like an overgrown orangutan only uglier. Nothing to brag about really."

"Looks aren't everything," the younger Zeke replied. He swung his over-long arm at Raven with surprising speed.

Raven braced himself and actually blocked the incoming blow. "Now I know who Beast really is It's not your uncle. It's you."

Beast shrugged. "If the shoe fits." He swung his other hairy arm in to crush Raven between them, but feinted at the last moment, suddenly raising both hands in a combined fist and swung down to flatten his smaller opponent. Raven was still faster, dropping to one knee and bracing both forearms above his head. Though he grunted with effort, he succeeded in stopping the crushing blow.

"Is that seriously all you've got?" Raven asked.

"Not at all. I've had a few extra's added into my DNA," Beast replied. "Including the bit that gives me the same abilities as Turncoat." Even as he finished talking, a third giant fell to the cavern floor. Steam from the evaporating bodies began to fill the cavern, making the immediate area hard to see in.

Rogue was scarcely visible as he moved in to attack the fourth giant even as the fifth reached for him and missed. As Beast watched him, his hairy brow began to furrow in confusion. "I don't understand," he muttered.

Raven chuckled. "Turncoat's powers only work on Super powers. Rogue may be a hero and a member of the Scouts, but he's not a Super. I trained all our new members myself; Supers and non-Supers alike. Rogue is my top student."

Beast suddenly roared in pain as one of Raven's daggers was plunged into his heart. "You didn't seriously think that I would sit still and wait while you tried to attack my partner, did you?" Raven asked. "Rookie move Wookie."

Beast rubbed the spot where the dagger had thrust into him. "Ow. That actually hurt. Wookie. Very funny. But you're right. That **_was_** a rookie move. However, if you recall, I did warn you that I can't be killed." He drew his hand away to reveal the wound steaming as it closed itself. "Cut off my limbs, they'll regrow. Even my head, if removed, will replace itself. I can move my consciousness anywhere in my nervous system. So, you see, you can't win." He looked directly at Raven for a moment, clearly concentrating.

Raven deadpanned. "Yeah. I'm not a Super either."

Beast's eyes widened. "Impossible. The wings. The speed. The strength."

"Perhaps I can answer that," the elder Zeke said, looking out from behind the throne where he'd been hiding. "You see, Levi Ackerman is not human. Or rather, not entirely human. His mother is a monster from another world, tainting our human blood with hers. He is an abomination that we tried to eliminate years ago, but his mother outsmarted us. You see, nephew, Levi Ackerman is the son of the Prophet."

There were several screams from below as the fourth giant fell beneath Rogue's blade, this time crushing some of the crowd huddle against the wall and burning others as it began to evaporate into hot steam.

"So that's what you wanted back then. You just wanted to kill us. Our very existence is a threat to a madman's 'great prophecy'. Tch! You're so pathetic," Raven insulted. "You have one problem, and it'll be your undoing. You see, I know your weakness."

"And what would that be?" Beast challenged.

Raven smiled wickedly. "Over-confidence." With that, he rushed forward with a powerful thrust of his wings. Beast may have been fast, but Raven was much faster. With two of his daggers held out at arm's length, one pointed forward, the other pointed back, he went into a blinding spin, turning his own body into a circular saw blade and sliced the ligaments at the backs of Beast's knees and both of the Achilles tendons.

Beast fell to his hands and knees with a bellowing roar. Raven was on his back in a flash, before the monster could recover. He landed between the shoulder blades and leaned forward to speak in Beast's ear. "I know your physical weakness too."

Even as Beast began to raise his hand, with the intent to cover his nape, Raven leapt up into the air, began his dizzying spin as he came down, and sliced the nape as clean as you please, removing a wedge-shaped chunk of hair, flesh, muscle, bone and sinew. Zeke Ghallioht never even had a chance to cry out as he collapsed to the platform and began to evaporate.

Raven jumped off the disintegrating form and landed in near one of the sets of stairs. Behind him, he heard the last of the giants fall to the ground. _It's over._ A second later a searing pain exploded through his lower right side, just below the ribcage. _Speaking of rookie moves . . . _he thought ironically.

"RAVEN!" came Rogues scream as he watched his uncle sink a dagger into the smaller man's side. He ran towards them as Zeke's face collapsed into shock as Raven right wing and arm swung back, throwing the man back, where he fell on the bones of Alexander Harrington, scattering and breaking them as he landed on the throne.

The rest of the Scouts, having found a door that led to a stairwell to the cavern, had also arrived just in time to watch Raven get stabbed. They watched from near the top of the stairs as events unfolded below them.

Zeke regarded the scattered bones of his sacred saint in rage. "You monsters," he growled furiously. "You've ruined everything! But you haven't won yet!"

Raven and Rogue quickly retreated as the elder Zeke began to grow. Unlike his hairy nephew, he grew into a far better proportioned giant, double the height of Beast. Not only did his clothes tear and fall away, but his skin as well, leaving a giant, steaming red body of pure muscle, bone and sinew.

The two heroes backed away even further, moving down to the cavern floor to escape the furnace-like heat radiating from the grotesque giant before them. "Now what?" Rogue asked.

"The weak spot will be the same, but he knows we're aware of it, so it's gonna be harder to get to," Raven surmised as they continued to retreat as Zeke stepped easily down from the platform. "I'm not gonna last long with this stab wound. We need a way to get past that heat. Looks like I'll have to play my final trump card."

"Magic?"

Raven grinned. "My only real limitation is my own imagination, so let's see what I can do."

Both men skid to a halt and turned to face their foe as he lumbered through the columns to get to them. They could see the Commander, Northwind and She-Wolf flying in behind him and Codex using their gear to do the same. The others were nearing the bottom of the stairs.

Raven looked at the crystal pillars around them. "I have an idea." He drew one of his daggers and used the blade to chip away a chunk of the crystal . . . or rather, tried to. The blade shattered on impact. "Shit, this stuff is hard. That was a tritorium steel blade!"

"Tritorium?" Rogue questioned.

"Toughest metal in existence. According to my mother, it isn't even found on this planet. Time to try another way."

The retreated further, being able to move much faster than the lumbering giant behind them. "Good thing he's not as fast as your brother was," Raven observed as they stopped at another column. He placed his right hand against the crystal, and he eyes began to glow even brighter than before. "Give yourself to me," he commanded. He then closed his hand and pulled away a long javelin of crystal.

Rogue grabbed Raven and dragged him behind the column as a wall steam blasted out from Zeke's body. The rest of the Scouts were driven back by the blast, but thanks to Deviser's observations and warning to not get close, none of them were hurt.

"Get ready. I'm gonna use this crystal to immobilize him. Kinda like Aegis' armor, only I'm going to harden the bastard from within. Once the process starts, you'll have to move fast to go for the nape."

Rogue nodded. "Got it. Ready when you are."

Even with the disgustingly warm fog obscuring their vision, Zeke's laughter was enough for Raven to target with. "Did you really think I would give all of the best qualities to my nephew?" Zeke taunted.

**_Levi, _**Deviser's voice suddenly sounded in his mind. **_We need to get him to do that again; that steam blast. I can see him enough to be sure that he shrunk quite a bit with that first one. I think it takes a lot of energy and weakens him._**

**_Good observation kid. Thanks, _**Raven replied. "You call blowing a lot of hot air a good quality? Hell, most politicians can outgun you there."

"You're going to run out of steam eventually," the Commander added, enjoying his own lousy pun.

Raven groaned and pinched his brow. "This so not the time for that shit," he grumbled, but the acoustics of the cavern meant that everyone could hear him. He signaled for Rogue to move out around in a wide arc to get in behind Zeke. "As shitty as that pun was, the Commander is right. You won't be able to do that very many times before you've used yourself up. What'll you do then?"

"I'll just start over again," Zeke rumbled, his voice now closer to where Raven hid.

A massive foot came into view. Faster than lightning, Raven plunged the crystal javelin through the foot and into the cavern floor. He backed off with a powerful thrust of his wings and retreated behind another column just as the enraged Zeke let out another powerful blast of steam. Raven covered his nose and mouth to try to protect his lungs from the searing hot air. The open wound on his side felt like it was boiling. He placed the blood coated palm of his right hand against the pillar at his back and focused on sending his power through the crystal of the pillar and floor into the javelin to make it grow.

He knew it was working when Zeke bellowed out, "What the?! What have you done to me?!"

Raven chanced a look around the pillar to see what was happening. Zeke was down on one knee, the torso slumped forward, crystalizing rapidly from the feet up, but from the nape of the neck, as Rogue approached, the older man burst out from the flesh at the nape and quickly pulled himself free of the dissolving mass. He burst out laughing. "See? I told you I'd just start ov-"

Zeke never finished his sentence since Rogue seized the opportunity and sent his uncle flying down to the floor with a powerful right hook. "Not if I have anything to say about it," he snarled. "You don't even care how many people you've killed or how many more people you've hurt." Rogue was already on the man, pinning him down with his body and punched him again in the face. "You feel nothing for all those lives you've ruined." Tears of rage and grief ran freely down his face as he hit him again. "You murdered your own brother for fuck's sake!" Rogue laughed humorlessly at the surprise on Zeke's face. As he drew back to strike again, Zeke, with sudden renewed vigor, grabbed a switchblade from up his sleeve and thrust it into Rogue's chest.

"NO! ROGUE!" Raven cried out in dismay as he began to run towards the two, even as his vision blurred from blood lost from his own stab wound.

Zeke got out from under Rogue as the young Scout looked down at his chest in surprise and almost numbly pulled the blade from the wound. Dark blood from his heart leaked out, but the flow was almost instantly staunched by steam closing the wound. As Raven finally reached his stricken comrade, Rogue started laughing as he slowly stood, knife still in his hand, and turned to face his uncle, whose color was fast draining from his face. "Nice try, fuck-face," Rogue noted, a sadistic smirk on his face and madness in his eyes. "But unlike you and my dear, departed brother, I really am immortal."

Zeke's face collapsed into complete confusion.

"You really don't know who I am, do you? Well let me give you a hint." He reached up and removed his mask.

Zeke's eyes widened in recognition. A mad grin formed on his bloody lips. "The Coordinate!"

"That's right," Rogue sneered. "The key to your downfall!"

"At last, I will have the key! Titan will succeed!" Zeke started to grow again, but Raven dropped to one knee, palm flat on the floor. A large, complex red circle appeared on the floor around Zeke's feet, and the crystal from the floor began to rapidly grow up the man's body, disabling his ability to grow any further. "What? How? NO!"

Rogue took advantage of his immobilized enemy, drew his long-knife, and before the crystal could completely envelope Zeke, rushed in and severed his uncle's spine at the nape.

The rest of the Scouts came running up through the fog. "Raven! Rogue! Are you two alright?" the Commander called.

"Yeah. Just fucking ducky," Levi replied sarcastically as he tried to stand, but fell to his knees, right hand holding his wounded side. "Shit!"

"Don't try to move!" Faerie cried as she ran up to him to try helping.

"Wowwwww!" Codex breathed as they noticed Zeke, crystal encasing him up to the shoulders, and his nape severed so deep that he was nearly decapitated.

"Is it really, finally over?" Rogue asked.

"I think so. The labs and security forces are all destroyed and the heads of Titan that weren't crushed have already fled the cavern and are probably out of the facility by now. We'll know in a few days just what the full impact of this will be," the Commander said.

Raven reached out his left hand and opened a portal. "**Finder, grab your shit and come join us. It's over now.**" He spoke into the comm. As soon as Finder joined them, Raven collapsed one portal and created another. "You all need to go. This will take you to Tinninvale. I'm going to bring this whole mountain down on this facility."

"Wait, what about you?" She-Wolf asked.

"I'll stay and bring him through as soon as the spell is cast," Rogue assured.

"Don't worry," Codex soothed. "The crystal this cavern is made from is strong enough to hold the mountain up as it is. Rogue and Raven will be fine." The turned to look Raven. "We'll be waiting for you on the other side."

Once everyone but Rogue and Raven were through, Raven placed his still bloody right palm to the floor. His took in several labored and weary breaths. Rogue placed his hand on Raven's shoulder. "You're exhausted. Draw some of your strength from me."

Raven nodded gratefully and began to chant a song that he never even realized he knew. It flowed easily from his lips as brilliant indigo patterns worked their way from him along the floor, up the walls and the pillars, across the ceiling and beyond. The words, in a tongue unknown to him, echoed through the space, creating the impression of a thousand voices chanting. When he finally finished, he blacked out and the ground immediately began to shake.

Rogue immediately grabbed Raven up in his arms and rushed through the portal, nearly tripping on the wings.

As the mountain above the cavern collapsed, a lone figure stepped from the fog and picked up the knife, coated in Eren's and Levi's blood, a wicked grin on their face as they did so. "Titan will rise again."


	34. Chapter 34

After the Fall

Levi woke to the familiar and very pleasant warmth that he'd grown used to. As woke further he realized that he was holding someone . . . someone who was currently drooling on his chest. _Disgusting._ Disgust faded like morning dew when he opened his eyes to see a mop of untamed brown hair under his chin. He lifted his right arm to stroke the messy, but soft mop, but winced in pain as the movement pulled at an injury on his lower right side. _What the fuck?_

The mop that was Eren Jaeger inhaled sharply through his nose as he awoke. He lifted his head to regard Levi with concern in his jade eyes. "Are you okay?"

The memories of the previous day (_At least I hope I've only been out a day_) came rushing back to him. He rubbed Eren's arm with the left hand he had wrapped around the younger's shoulder. "My side feels like it was run over by an eighteen-wheeler, but other than that, I'm okay."

Eren sighed with relief before laying his head back on Levi's chest. Levi finally took stock of his surroundings. "We're in Tinninvale."

"Yeah. Everyone else is here too. Erwin says that once you're recovered, we can portal to his father's estate until we can get a new headquarters set up," Eren explained.

Levi's eyes widened. "That's right. I forgot about Erwin's father. Erwin changed his last name when he became a hero. I think Hange and I are the only ones that know . . . wait . . . has he told Armin yet?"

Eren lifted his head to look at his lover in confusion. "Armin? Of course, Armin knows our plans!"

"That's not what I meant! I mean, has Erwin told everyone his real last name?"

"You mean Smith?"

"Ugh! You can be so dense sometimes!" Levi groused, though his tone held no real bite. "Smith is an alias. His real last name is Arlert."

Eren's eyes grew wider than Levi'd ever seen them. "A-arlert?!"

"Yeah. Armin's his cousin."

"So, Grandpa Arlert was Erwin's father's father? Small world!"

"No shit."

"And I don't think he's told Armin yet."

"Well he better do it soon. I'll be leaving here in two days time."

"So soon? We just got here yesterday!"

Levi smiled up at his younger lover. "Maybe you and I can spend a week or two up here. I think we've both earned it."

Eren nodded in agreement then placed his head back on Levi's chest. "Once we're sure Titan really did go down yesterday, I'm gonna have Hange give me the serum to make me mortal again."

"I don't blame you," Levi said. "I'd do the same. But if I'm honest, after watching that fucker stab you in the heart yesterday, I'm beyond glad that your father made you immortal."

"Not surprised. Honestly, I'm kinda glad too. At least since it can be reversed anyway."

Soon both men succumbed to the sweet seduction of blissful sleep.

* * *

One Year Later . . . . . .

Levi stood atop his favorite spire at the peak of Mitras Towers. The sun would not rise for another three hours. It had been a long night spent taking down a massive drug and human trafficking ring. Most of the Scouts had returned to headquarters, which was in a warehouse by the river near the heart of the city. Thanks to Erwin's father and Erwin's own habit of squirreling money away and some very fortuitous investing as well as a considerable amount of financial help from Kenny, they had been able to set up their new headquarters in record time. The layout was similar to the original headquarters, but the upstairs apartment where Levi now resided was much nicer. Especially since Eren lived with him.

The fall of Titan and deaths of so many of the corporate world's top executives in what officials called a freak collapse of Utopia's Mt. Astore while they were "touring the old silver mines to be used as a record retention center during an annual conference." Well, at least according to the new reports. The economy went into a recession as corporations were restructured and governments scrutinized them for misuse of funds and tax evasion. But with new leadership, such as Keith Shadis, the corporations were recovering, as was the economy and Titan was all but forgotten by society.

Armin had been shocked to learn he had living relatives; more so that Erwin was his cousin. _No wonder those to blonds think so much alike. Coconut should be grateful that he didn't inherit the same eyebrows as Erwin did._ He, along with Eren, had finished their thesis and were now working towards their PHDs. Both young men taught at the university . . . during the day. By night, they were still fully-fledged members of the Scouting Regiment. Eren still went by the moniker Rogue, while Armin changed to the rather impish sounding but highly fitting Devious.

In the last year, Mikasa had improved drastically as the Super hero, She-Wolf. She had learned to balance having Eren's back but also trusting him to stand on his own. She had even started dating. Eren and Armin both had nearly fainted when they found out she was going on a date with Jean Kirstein. They now fought crime as a team.

The reunion between Jean and his mother had been nothing less than cliché, as Levi had put it. Tears, joy, relief, and shock that her son was a Super. She immediately supported his decision to be a hero, however. "As long as it doesn't interfere with your studies, of course," she'd told him.

Sasha, the official Scouting Regiment chef, was now teamed up with a new member that had joined the Scouts just two months after the fall of Titan. His real name was Connie Springer, but his moniker was Gumball. His power was, much like Stretch's had been, stretching. He could stretch any part of himself like taffy. He'd mastered his power to the level that even a bullet was unable to truly penetrate him, since the impact area would just stretch until the bullet ran out of energy, to which he would then use the rubber-like quality of his body to fling the bullet back at his attacker. With his bald head, Gumball fit him to a T. Together, Levi started calling the them Team Springles.

Reiner, at first lost without his deceased teammates, stayed with the Scouts and teamed up with another newcomer, Falco Grice, who went by the moniker Jaws. His entire body could turn to steel and his head was like a steel-jaw trap. Like Aegis, he was immune to bullets, but he was faster and more flexible. Falco and Reiner had known each other for three years, both working at the same car repair center, but didn't discover each other's Super identities until Aegis and the Commander helped Jaws out of a bad situation involving a seriously pissed off racoon defending her young. Falco didn't want to hurt the poor animal, after all, but he didn't want to get bitten either, so Reiner and Erwin had found a metal man huddled in a corner being attacked by a screaming racoon.

Marco was also a permanent member of the Scouts. He stayed at headquarters on the computers, inventing new technology and providing technical support, guidance and research for those in the field. By day, he followed in his father's footsteps and provided technical support for Brigade. By night, he went by the simple moniker of Hack n' Sack, or Hack for short.

Hange and Erwin usually worked together in the field. They also worked well together in the bedroom, since neither one had Levi to entertain them anymore. After all, Levi was now with his soul mate and street partner, Eren Jaeger, aka Rogue. Though not a Super, with the aid of a new set of Hange's 3DM gear, he could fly with the best of them. He had taken to the gear like a duck to water. He was now even better than Hange was.

Levi looked down at his partner and lover, who was on the edge of the roof below the spire and smiled. He did that a lot these days, and it was all because of Eren. Levi had forgotten how to love and be loved. He'd forgotten how it felt to be truly happy and to just want to protect people. His father and Harbinger had stolen that from him, but Eren gave it all back.

He had spoken to Eren and his mother about Titan's fall not being the end shortly after he'd woken up in Tinninvale after defeating Titan. He'd told them of what the Fates had told him about the true creator of Titan rising again in 2,000 years to try again. "This is nothing but a stay of execution," he'd said.

Eren had just grinned at him and replied, "Then we'll just have to come back and finish the job in 2,000 years. Let's just enjoy the stay of execution while it lasts."

Levi's smile broadened as he thought back. Light was just beginning to show in the east. Luckily, Eren didn't have any classes to teach on Saturdays. "Hey Rogue. Let's head back and clean up. Then we can go get some waffles at our favorite pancake joint."

Eren looked up at him with his famous, blinding grin. "You bet!" he replied, before immediately deploying his gear and heading back to headquarters.

Levi watched Eren move through the city like he was born to fly. _God, I love that brat._ He spread his jet-black wings and followed his lover into the dawn.


	35. Chapter 35

POSTLOGUE

2,000 YEARS LATER

_Those goddamn bells! Every fucking time we go in or out they have to ring those goddamn bells! This isn't a fucking spectacle, people! A lot of us are going to die! _Levi hated the gawking, grumbling crowds that showed up every time the scouts prepared to go out on expedition. He sat astride Firestorm looking thoroughly bored with the whole process. Among those gathered to watch, was the newly graduated Southern 104th Cadet Corps. Within days, they would be choosing which branch of the military they would be joining. Levi had already been through the records and saw only one that would be of interest to him for his own squad, but that would have to wait until they returned from this mission.

"Hey, look! There's Captain Levi! They say he's an entire brigade unto himself!" someone in the crowd called out.

"Tch! Spare me! Please." Levi grumbled, still looking bored with the world. He hated being the center of attention.

Zoë Hange, on the other hand, could barely contain her excitement. "Aw, c'mon, Levi. Try to show a little enthusiasm! It's good public relations!"

Levi glared daggers at her as she continued to bubble. "oooooo! I can hardly wait! Maybe we'll get an abnormal or two . . . or three! Oh! I'm so excited!"

The faintest smirk played across Levi's face. "I think we've already bagged the craziest abnormal of all."

"Really?! Where?" Zoë looked around excitedly.

Levi shifted Firestorm's position so that he was right next to Zoë, reached out and grabbed the top of her head, turning her to face him. "I was talking about you," he said flatly.

She looked at him wide eyed for a moment and then burst out laughing. "Guilty as charged!"

Levi growled and shook his head. _Yep! That's the crazy lady I have sex with! _ He then scanned the crowd idly as he waited for the gate to open. Then he spotted them. A pair of sea green eyes that he had seen countless times before while waiting for the gate to open; first in Shiganshina and now here in Trost. _Him again. Still alive, I see. Wait . . . is that a Cadet uniform he's wearing? Well I'll be damned! Didn't see that one coming. Wonder which branch he'll be joining?_

His thoughts were disrupted by the command to raise the gate, and was soon riding out away from Trost with the rest of the Corps. As usual, his unit was out in front, using Mike's nose to tell them where the titans were approaching from, and then dispatching the threats as quickly as possible. Levi still had a tendency to work alone, but his subordinates all worked in pairs. Skye had been killed during the previous mission, saving three other scouts from an abnormal. She was crushed in the process but killed the aberrant none the less.

_Skye had smiled up at Levi, as he held the dying woman in his arms. "See that, Captain? I killed that bastard even though I'm dying. I still got that son-of-a-bitch!" She chuckled painfully. "I had a good run, didn't I, Captain?"_

_"Yes, you did, Skye. You definitely made a dent in the overgrown fuckers." Levi told her. "And I plan on continuing making dents until there's nothing left of them. I'll be sure to give them your regards as I kill them."_

_Skye chuckled again. "You do that, Captain. Give 'em hell for me!" With those words, the light left her eyes and she breathed her last._ I'm never going to get used to watching people I care about die. But I will never stop fighting in their honor!

It was late afternoon, and his unit was trying to get rid of a horde of titans in one of Maria's abandoned cities so the Corps could move through to the supply stop. _What is with this concentration of titans? It's as bad as the day they destroyed Maria's . . . wait . . . no, it can't be! _ After killing yet another large titan, Levi spotted Gerald, half in the jaws of an eleven-meter titan. The thing was half chewing on him, as if undecided whether or not it liked the taste. _Shit! Not another one! _The titan was dead before it could make up its mind, and Gerald was freed from the jaws of death. Levi landed on the roof above and scanned the area. There were still three titans left. Leaving Petra to tend to Gerald and ordering the others to take out the one titan that was furthest off, Levi went to take his anger out on the two closest titans. "I know you can't help being ugly," he told them as they started to reach for him. He launched into the air, much too fast for either titan to get a hold of him. "But then, I can't help being sick of watching you sons-of-bitches eat my comrades!" Both titans were dead before either one could figure out where their prey had disappeared to.

He returned to where Gerald had fallen, and Petra was trying desperately to stop the bleeding from the man's midsection. "Captain, the bleeding won't stop!"

"Captain Levi," Gerald said weakly, holding up his hand.

Levi went and knelt down beside his stricken comrade, taking the bloodied hand. "I'm here."

"I did good, right, Captain? Tell me I made a difference. Tell me this wasn't all for nothing." Gerald's eyes were pleading. "Please tell me my death isn't in vain."

"You did good, soldier." Levi told him. "I promise you that you have made a difference. Your death is not in vain. Your will and your strength will live on in me! I will take your strength and add it to my own! I promise you that I will drive the titans to extinction!"

"He's gone, sir," Petra said softly.

"Do you think he heard everything?"

"I think he did. Look at his face. That's the face of a man at peace," Petra answered.

"We can only hope." Levi stood, not even caring at the moment that his hands were coated in the Gerald's blood. _It will never truly wash away._

He turned as he heard approaching horses. "We're heading back, Levi." It was Commander Erwin Smith.

"What?! No! We can still take a lot more ground! My men did not die just to pave the way for retreat!" Levi bit off angrily.

Erwin saw the dead soldier and decided it was best just to get straight to the point. "The titans have broken through Rose in Trost. It's five years ago happening all over again!"

Levi felt his heart skip a beat and his stomach sink to his toes. _No! Not again! _

"We need to get back before the Armored titan breaks the gate in the main wall!" Erwin stated, firing the retreat flare. The dark blue smoke created a distinct spiral behind the flare as it went up, the unmistakable order to retreat. "Levi, I need you to take us to the fastest way under the wall into Trost!"

Levi lead the regiment at top speed back to Trost. An old abandoned bar, in the city situated in the corner where the Trost wall met Rose, provided the wide tunnel that came up in a still working warehouse in Trost itself. As soon as he cleared the warehouse, Levi took to the rooftops and stood atop a steeple to assess the situation. At first, he felt relief to see that the main gate was still standing. _Good. We're not too late! _ On the far side of the city, in the opposite corner from where he was, there were hundreds of Garrison soldiers on the wall, seeming to be keeping the majority of the titans busy. _What the fuck? What is Pixis up to now?_

Dot Pixis; the highly eccentric commander of the Garrison Regiment. _Bloody waste of a brilliant soldier if you ask me. _Levi always thought the man should have been a Scout. The man had graduated alongside Old Tom, Levi's first commanding officer. Tom and Dot were the best of friends and Dot visited the barracks often to drink with Tom, so Levi knew Pixis pretty well.

Then something astonishing caught Levi's eyes as he scanned the city from atop his steeple. _What in the bloody fucking hell is that?! _Out near the outer gate was a fifteen-meter titan carrying a massive boulder that had to have been more than a hundred times its own mass – and it was heading towards the gate itself. _Holy shit! That boulder is big enough to block the gate, but . . . is it even possible?_

"Listen up, everyone! If what I think is happening is, in fact, happening, then we need to get started wiping out every titan in Trost! Get going and kill every titan you see!" Levi commanded.

"Yes, sir!" The four remaining squad members split up into two groups and set out follow their orders. "Firestorm! Head directly for the outer gate! I'll meet you there!" he told his horse. Without further delay, Levi set out for the gate himself, using his gear. As he approached the gate, he could better see what was going on.

There were a few Garrison soldiers and what looked like two Cadets clearing a path ahead of the titan carrying the boulder. _Are they protecting that thing? And why are the other titans going after it in the first place? Titans don't attack each other! Is it possible that this one is on our side? Do I even dare to hope?_

Levi landed on a rooftop, just above where, just twelve hours earlier, he had been waiting to leave with the rest of the Corps. He watched in utter fascination as the titan, with a triumphant roar, slammed the boulder down against the gaping hole, no doubt created by the Colossal titan again, sealing it forever. The fifteen-meter giant, then slumped against the massive stone and almost immediately began to evaporate.

What happened next defied all logic, and yet it explained so much about titans at the same time. Up at the nape, a small figure appeared in the steam. The two cadets landed on either side of the figure and were trying to pull it free. Levi recognized Rico, a Garrison soldier directly under Pixis, as she used her blades to cut the male figure free. The blond cadet (_is that a male or a female?_) started to help the nearly unconscious boy back down to the ground.

As amazed as he was by what he was witnessing, and as much as his thoughts whirled in a storm in his mind, Levi was still ever alert. The blond cadet looked in horror as another titan bore down on them and their friend. Almost faster than the eye could see, the shadow of a soldier streaked in and killed the titan before it could do any harm. It collapsed barely two meters from where the two cadets stood. Levi landed on top of it, scanning the area for any other threats.

"Mikasa?" the blond asked. A look of complete surprise came across their face as a dark-haired girl with charcoal eyes landed beside them. "Wait, if you're here, then who . . ." All three suddenly noticed the symbol on the dark green cloak their rescuer was wearing; the Wings of Freedom.

"Listen up, brats," the decidedly masculine voice said, as the man turned to look down at them. "This is the part where you tell me **_exactly_** what I'm looking at here." Levi looked at the nearly unconscious boy that had been removed from the titan's nape and was shocked by a pair of sea green eyes – a little on the glassy side – looking back up at him. **_Him_**_ again!_


End file.
